


I Was Kind of Hoping You'd Stay

by attackedastoria



Series: Passing Through a Screen Door [1]
Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anxiety, Depression, F/M, Feelings, Fluff, Found Family, Hair Braiding, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Jyn Ships It super hard, M/M, Meet the Family, Minor Drug Use, More Feels, Pancakes!, Snow!, Typical College Angst, abuse of lyrics, bodhi is an emo little shit, cassian likes to kiss everyone, cassian really loves Journey, chirrut and baze are Cool Dads, did i mention lots of fluff?, god luke is so bossy, i know nothing about coffee or music watch me bullshit my way through both, lots of swearing, luke is an actual ray of sunshine, luke is just a little shit in general, not beta read we die like men, now with 100 percent more smut, pop-punk! au, sassy!bodhi, sweaty boys, wedge and luke in leather pants
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-11
Updated: 2017-03-16
Packaged: 2018-09-23 12:23:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 71,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9657350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/attackedastoria/pseuds/attackedastoria
Summary: Bodhi was fine just drifting through his life, with no end goal in sight- really, he was. He had his music, he had school, he had his (terrible)job, and that was enough. He didn't particularly think hedeservedmore than that, honestly.And then, of course, Solo had the nerve to drag a freshman namedLukeinto his coffee shop, and throwthatall to hell.(AKA the college/coffee shop/pop-punk AU that literally no one asked for, but I'm doing it anyway)





	1. Cardinals

 

 

Bodhi doesn’t know where his love of music came from, exactly.

No one in his family is particularly gifted- his sister is in the school chorus, sure, but that was about it. His mother used to tell him that he was always dancing and singing, banging pots together, making any noise he could as a child. She ended up deciding to encourage him- chorus, piano lessons, endless books of sheet music. The guitar she bought him for his fifteenth birthday is what really stuck with him, though. 

 

[He remembers sitting in the garage and playing for hours, practicing until the tips and pads of his fingers were sore and almost bleeding, while his mother threatened to throw the damn thing away if he didn’t come in for dinner. 

He came in, eventually, but he went back to the garage to practice every spare moment he could manage. It wasn’t as though he had much of a social life, anyway.]

 

So, Bodhi spends his high school years in and out of shitty bands, usually with his best friend Jyn, and it turns out he’s pretty damn good with the whole guitar thing, and not half-bad at singing, either. He prefers to just play, though, and leaves the frontman part to people far more charismatic and outgoing than him. It’s fun, and his mother is just happy he’s actually getting out of the house and making _friends_ , for once. 

He meets Brandon at a small basement show some senior throws, and, well- making out with the junior in the back of his shitty old honda civic isn’t part of his _plan_ for that evening, but he’s sixteen and horny, so why not.

[He vaguely remembers thinking that he should be more freaked out by the fact that he likes _kissing boys_ , but he had more important things to worry about, back then- like memorizing the new Get Up Kids album front to back. Priorities.]

 

————

 

Bodhi and Brandon don’t really date, but- they’re _something_. Something that involves lots of late nights at Denny’s, getting into heated arguments over whether or not Alkaline Trio is emo or punk, and making out in the back of his car. Bodhi thinks he might be in love, but he’s never been in love, so he has no idea. He just does his best to go with it, because for the first time in his life, someone _gets_ him, and he’s happy. 

Jyn teases him mercilessly and Bodhi threatens to stop teaching her to play guitar. He won’t, because she’s pretty good and she loves it, but he threatens her nonetheless. She laughs and squeezes his cheeks because he’s “so adorable” when he tries to be mad. Traitor.

 

————

 

Bran gets accepted into Columbia at the end of his senior year- his parents don’t want him to go, telling him a liberal arts degree might as well be toilet paper, and he’s going to law school like they’d original planned. His father threatens to cut off his financial aid, and Bodhi doesn’t think he’s ever seen Bran so upset before. 

“I’m not going to fucking law school, this is _my life_ , not his!” he yells at Bodhi one night, absolutely distraught. Bodhi hugs him tightly, because he has no idea what to do or say, because his mother doesn’t give a damn what he wants to do in college as long as he’s happy.

“It’ll be alright, Bran, I promise.” he says, knowing it’s a _stupid_ promise to make, but he can’t stand the sight of Bran being so upset. Bran cries into his shoulder for a little and kisses him, not wanting to let him go, but Bodhi leaves eventually because he has to go to work- a part time job at the grocery store that helps him upkeep his band equipment. Bran begs him to stay, but he can't, because he really needs to fix his amp for an upcoming show and he can't afford to blow off a shift.

Bodhi kisses his forehead and gives him a sad, apologetic smile as he goes.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? It’ll be fine.”

[It’s not going to be fine. He doesn’t know that at the time, but he should’ve figured it out.]

 

————

 

Bran doesn’t show up to meet Bodhi and Jyn the next day for a movie, so they go to his house to see what’s up. When they get there, Bran’s mother waves them down to the basement with a smile, telling them he’d probably overslept.

They can hear music playing- _The Used, seriously? Now who's the emo one_ -as Bodhi pounds on the door, and Jyn sighs, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Seriously, can your boyfriend ever be on time?” she asks, and Bodhi rolls his eyes as he opens the door after receiving no answer. It’s dark when they step inside, save for the light coming in from one of the small, ground-level windows, and they have to squint to see anything.

“Bran?.. Bran, seriously, the movie starts in twenty minutes.” Bodhi sighs, seeing the older boy still in bed- he goes to shake him, because he’s getting impatient, and- Bran’s skin is cold to the touch. He doesn’t move. Bodhi shakes him harder, trying to turn him, and that’s when he sees that his lips are blue. 

“ _Brandon?!.._ ”

[Bodhi will never forget the sight of Bran’s face, so utterly still, his brown eyes empty- it burns itself onto the back of his eyelids and no matter what he does, it never fully goes away.]

Jyn spots the empty bottle of pills on the dresser first- Bran’s Lexapro -while Bodhi starts to shake Bran harder, his voice rising in volume and cracking as his eyes start to burn. She screams for Bran’s mom, running towards the stairs, but Bodhi doesn’t even register it because _he’s_ screaming, now, too.

“You _fucking promised me!_ You fucking _promised_ , you fuck, we were going to get out of here _together_ , you promised me! _Wake up!.._ ”

[Bodhi vows that he’ll never promise anyone, _anything_ , again.]

 

————

 

Bodhi can’t bring himself to go to the funeral. He spends the night in Jyn’s room instead, curled up in her lap, crying silently while she strokes his hair. She doesn’t tell him everything is going to be okay, because she knows better than that, but she’s there for him, like she always is. He doesn’t know what he would’ve done without her.

He thinks about how Bran might still be alive if he had stayed with him. It makes him want to _scream._

Three weeks later, Bodhi starts writing music again, and doesn’t stop until he’s filled up four notebooks.

 

————

 

Bodhi graduates his senior year with a full ride to Columbia and an ache in his chest that he doesn’t think will ever fade.

He doesn’t have much time to do anything but study, compose, work, and play guitar in his off time- throwing himself into every music course possible tends to suck up every ounce of time and energy he has. Jyn still manages to convince him to get a band together, though. Because she’s _Jyn_ , and Bodhi can’t say no to her, no matter how tired he is. He doesn’t think the band will actually go anywhere, anyway, not with just the two of them.

Then he finds an apartment ad on Craiglist, looking for a third roommate- with a rent he can actually _afford_ -and he meets Cassian and Kay, who also go to Columbia. 

Bodhi quickly finds out that Cassian plays bass, and Kay plays drums, and, well- things kind of go from there, really.

[Looking back, he knows that this is the point when his life decides it has had enough of his moping- he should’ve _known_ shit was going to get weird and complicated from here on out.]

Kay wants to call the band _‘Statistically, We’re Likely to Break Up in Six Months’._

Everyone else agrees that Bodhi’s offhand suggestion of _‘Rogue One’_ is a little bit better.

 

 


	2. The Bluest Things on Earth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bodhi hates his life.

 

 

Bodhi shoves another sugar-filled latte at a dead-eyed, barely awake student- who mumbles something that might be ‘thank you’ or ‘kill me’ -before he turns to look at Jyn.

“If I have to make another pumpkin-spiced sugar bomb, I’m going to _walk into the river_.” he declares, and Jyn hums, fully ignoring him as she continues to stock the small bakery display. Why are they even serving pumpkin-spice this early, it's _barely_ September. “Really, I am. You can have my guitar.”

“I don’t want your guitar, I have a guitar.” Jyn scoffs, arranging a stack of scones with more care than Bodhi certainly ever has. “Can I have your vinyl collection?”

Bodhi gives the short girl a dark look before he grabs a rag and attempts, in vain, to wipe down the sticky countertop. “No. They’re coming into the river with me, where they belong.”

Jyn leans back to give him an amused stare, one of her perfect eyebrows arched. “You’re in a mood, today. What’s wrong, did your love letters to Matt Skiba get returned unopened, again?” she teases him, and Bodhi wads up the rag before throwing it at her face. She ducks, of course. 

“That was _one_ time, and I was thirteen.” he hisses- she is _never_ going to let him live that down -and Jyn laughs, stooping down to pick up the rag after she finishes with the case. 

“I’m pretty sure you were sixteen, but okay.” she hums, skirting around him to get to the sink, where she begins to wash a few cups and other utensils. Bodhi feels a headache beginning to pinch between his eyes and resists the urge to sick his head in the bean grinder. Luckily for him, the bell above the chimes, distracting him from his thoughts of coffee-related mutilation.

It’s Cassian, of course, because he always comes in before work, and Bodhi stalks over to the register, punching in his order before the tall brunette even reaches him. “I’m going to kill Jyn.” he greets him without preamble, and Cassian smiles as he leans against the counter.

“Did you write another love letter to Skiba?” he asks casually, flipping open his wallet, and Jyn laughs hysterically in the background as she starts to prepare her boyfriend’s mocha. Bodhi feels a muscle under his eye twitch as he shoves Cassian’s change across the counter unceremoniously. 

“I can poison you, you know. Or smother you. The possibilities are endless, really. I bet _Kay_ would help me.” he tells his friend, and Cassian simply grins at him, the fucking bastard. Why are they friends, again? Why does he need friends? He doesn’t need friends like _this_ , that’s for sure.

“Have a good day, Bodhi.” Cassian leans over to kiss his cheek, because he really _is_ a bastard, and then wanders over to the other end of the counter to flirt with his girlfriend while he waits for his coffee. Bodhi glares at the clock as if it’s the entire source of all his problems in life, wishing he had the power to speed up time. This shift was never going to end. Never. He can feel it.

 

Bodhi somehow manages to struggle through the next hour without sticking his head in the bean grinder or pouring coffee on someone’s head. He feels very accomplished- he might treat himself to a cake pop from the bakery case. He’s working on another diabetic-nightmare pumpkin _abomination_ for a customer when the chime above the door tinkles again, and a familiar voice reaches his ears.

“So, this is the local caffeine joint.. I know it doesn’t look like much, but it’s good, I swear. Baristas can be a bit bitchy, though.” Han Solo is saying, undoubtedly towing around a few freshmen he managed to pick up- _how_ Han had ever managed to get put on the welcoming committee, Bodhi will never know. He assumes he probably slept with whoever was in charge. Beside Bodhi, Jyn is rolling her eyes to ceiling, as if praying for strength from a higher power.

“Your turn to deal with him.” she tells him crisply, and Bodhi feels his headache start to come back tenfold. He finishes the latte he’s working on, calls out the name on the cup- _Candy?_ Really? -and shoves it across the counter before going to the register, resigned to his fate. It’s safer this way, he tells himself. If Jyn breaks another mug throwing it at Han when he tries to flirt with her, she’ll probably get fired, and he can’t stand the thought of working in this pit with anyone else.

“Usual?” he asks, not even looking at Han as he punches it into the register. Han snorts.

“Whatever happened to service with a smile?” he jokes, and Bodhi lifts his head to give him his most dead-eyed stare before plastering a scarily fake smile on his lips. Han looks uncomfortable, and someone behind him, a girl, snorts with laughter. “Yeah, okay, never mind.. the usual. And whatever these guys want, my treat.” 

Han shifts to side and smiles that creepily charming smile of his that makes Bodhi want to cringe- whoever falls for that shit has to be _blind_. There’s two people with him Bodhi hasn’t seen before, so he assumes they must be fresh meat for the arts grinder. The girl is very pretty, with pale skin and dark hair that coils in a thick braid over one shoulder. Her brown eyes are sharp, and she’s looking at Han in a way that Bodhi recognizes as _‘not buying into your bullshit, asswipe_ ’. Good for her. He flicks his gaze to the guy beside her, ready to ask for their orders, and nearly _swallows his tongue._

The guy is _very_ attractive, in a boy-next-door, _‘why are my pants suddenly so tight when I watch him mow the lawn shirtless’_ kind of way. He’s more tan than the girl, with a head full of messy, golden hair in desperate need of a trim- not that Bodhi has room to talk, he can’t remember the last time he’s cut his hair. The real kicker, though, are the kid’s eyes- they are so _impossibly_ blue, like someone concentrated a clear, sunny day and shoved it into his eye sockets, thinking _‘yeah, this is a great idea, this won’t massively distract the general human population at all’_. And then, because _that_ isn’t enough for Bodhi to deal with, _oh no_ , Mr. Sunshine smiles at him, and it’s like getting hit in the face with a fucking _solar ray_. Somewhere nearby, a chorus of angels are singing. Bodhi can hear them. Either that, or his tinnitus is acting up again.

 

[Looking back, Bodhi realizes he’s so distracted, that he doesn’t notice the subtle way the younger boy is eyeing him. He regrets being so stupid. Jyn always tells him he needs to be more observant.]

 

“Hi! I’m Luke.” Mr. Sunshine says, and Bodhi knows he’s staring, _how can he not stare_ , but the kid continues as if he doesn’t notice or care. “Is there anything you’d recommend? I don’t drink coffee, that much..” 

Han and the girl are both looking at Bodhi with raised eyebrows at this point, which manages to snap him out of whatever orbit Mr. Sunshine has launched his brain into. Right. Job. Focus, Bodhi.

“Uh.. the chai is pretty good, if you’re not into coffee. Got a nice kick to it.” he manages to get out, blinking rapidly. Jyn has gone suspiciously quiet behind him, and Bodhi knows she’s watching him with that _look_ on her face. Luke leans his hip against the counter- Bodhi’s eyes do not look down to see how tight his worn jeans are, _they do not_ -and smiles again. Bodhi thinks, vaguely, that he sees a sparkling rainbow form over his head. Perhaps Cassian was right, and he does need more sleep. 

“Sure, that sounds good.” Luke agrees, and Bodhi punches it into the register a bit harder than necessary before tearing his eyes away from him and looking at the girl. She looks amused as her eyes flick from Luke to Bodhi. She reminds him of Jyn, suddenly, and that is Very Bad.

“I’d like a caffe breve, please.” she tells him politely, and Bodhi’s opinion of her rises immediately when the word ‘pumpkin’ doesn’t leave her mouth. She leans towards the bakery display. “Are those raspberry scones?”

Bodhi nods a quick “Yep.” and she smiles. “One of those too, please. I’m Leia, by the way.” she offers, studying him as he rings everything up for Han. “Do you go to Columbia, too?”

“Pretty much everyone in here does.” Bodhi answers, taking Han’s card and swiping it. He can hear Jyn already starting on the drinks behind him. He belatedly remembers he hasn’t offered either of them his name, and he swears he can hear his mother shrieking in dismay all the way back in the Jedha suburbs. “I’m Bodhi. You two freshman, then?”

Luke is grinning at him, and Bodhi quickly turns his back after snatching Han’s signed copy of the receipt off the counter, busying himself with going to make Leia’s breve. “Yep! I’m here for composition and instrumental performance, mostly. Leia’s on the Fashion track.” 

“Fashion? That’s fancy.” Jyn quips, going to set Han’s triple shot and Luke’s chai on the counter- she doesn’t even try to spill Han’s drink on him, which Bodhi finds suspicious. “I’m in business management and technologies, myself..” she smiles far too brightly. “What do you play, Luke?”

Bodhi counts to ten in his head as he steams the half-and-half, knowing that his friend is up to something, because she _always_ is. He averts his eyes from Luke’s thousand-watt smile and decides to make a leaf in Leia’s breve, because he doesn’t get the chance to practice his coffee art very often. It ends up only slightly lopsided, and he’s fairly pleased. 

“Oh, piano mainly, some guitar.. I like to sing, too, but I’m mostly focusing on piano right now.” Luke answers enthusiastically, and beside him, Leia scoffs a bit. 

“You should sing more, you have such a nice voice.” she laments, and Luke’s cheeks go a little red as he shrugs, and Bodhi does _not_ find that adorable, not at all. He sets Leia’s breve on the counter- she smiles brightly as she notices the leaf, and Han glares at him as he goes to fetch her scone from the bakery case. Bodhi smirks to himself and picks the biggest scone.

“Yeah, well, maybe I can find time to put another band together or something..” Luke offers, and now Jyn and Han are both perking up, and Bodhi even snaps his eyes over to them with interest. 

“Band?” Jyn asks, clearly curious as she leans over the counter just a bit. “I know a ton of people in the music track, I can point you towards some nice players, if you need it. I’m Jyn, by the way.”

“I play guitar!” Han offers, jumping at the opportunity, but Leia is side-eyeing him in a way that says she clearly doubts how skilled he is at it. It's hilarious, because Han is a great guitarist, but _Bodhi_ is never going to tell him that.

“So does Bodhi.. he’s already in a band with me, though, sorry.” Jyn grins, and Bodhi resists the urge to throw the damn scone at her, delivery it safely to Leia instead. He wants to sink into the floor as Luke looks at him with surprise and delight, because he is nowhere near prepared for Jyn _throwing him under the bus_ right now. 

“Really? Do you play anything else? What are you in school for?” Luke questions, clearly excited, and Bodhi tries to busy himself with cleaning up the bar.

“Uh.. play a little bass, some drums, some keyboard.. “ he mutters, scrubbing at the counter perhaps a bit harder than necessary. “I’m mostly in composition and technologies right now.”

“He also writes all our music and lyrics. He's a genius, honestly.” Jyn offers, because she’s a fucking _traitor_ , and Bodhi counts to ten very loudly in his head once again. When he dares to glance over at the counter, Luke is grinning at him, all rainbows and fucking sunbeams, and Bodhi seriously questions whether or not this kid is even _real._

“Wow, that’s impressive.. where do you find the time?” he asks, taking a sip of his chai- he looks at the drink with a pleasant, surprised expression, clearly liking it, and Bodhi allows himself to feel a small amount of satisfaction at that. 

“I manage. Not much of a social life.” he shrugs, and his eyes shoot to the door as the bell tinkles- a group of girls he recognizes from the theatre department come in, and Bodhi knows pumpkin-hell is in his near future. It must show on his face, because Leia gives him a small smirk as she picks up her drink and her scone. 

“We’ll get out of your way.. it was nice to meet both of you.” she says pleasantly, and Han, already halfway through his triple, follows her like a puppy as she retreats to a small table in the corner. It’s almost pathetic, really. Luke smiles brilliantly at both Bodhi and Jyn, and Bodhi grips the rag in his hand a bit tighter as he quickly averts his eyes.

“It was nice to meet you guys! I’m sure I’ll see you around.” he says quickly, and then he’s gone in a trail of _rainbows and imaginary sparkles_ , and Bodhi feels like he can fucking breathe again. Jyn has a shit-eating grin on her face as she looks at him, and Bodhi desperately wants to punch her, but she’d probably laugh at his attempt then pat him on the head.

“Well.. _he_ was really cute.” she teases, and Bodhi has had just about enough of this shit for one shift- he yanks off his apron and abandons Jyn at the counter, leaving her to face sticky, pumpkin-flavored eternal _damnation_ alone.

“I’m going on my break, have fun with that.” he calls over his shoulder. He doesn’t see Jyn flip him the finger, but he can _feel_ it. 

[Luke’s eyes are following Bodhi as he slips out the back door, but he doesn’t notice. Han notices, however, and files that tidbit of information away for later use.]

 

————— 

 

Bodhi wakes up choking on a scream, later that night- Bran’s too pale face and blue lips are painted on the insides of his eyelids as he grinds the heels of his palms into his eyes. His chest is heaving as he tries to get his breathing under control. He hasn’t had a nightmare about Bran in a while. His chest aches, suddenly, feeling tight.

He looks blearily at the clock on his nightstand- 4:08 AM, _fucking wonderful_ -before grabbing the pill bottle next to it and popping an Ativan dry. He falls back onto his pillows gracelessly and throws an arm over his eyes, trying to think of anything but Bran as he waits for the meds to kick in. 

His mind settles on thinking about how eerily blue Luke’s eyes were, and that seems to work well enough to let him fall back asleep.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Bodhi, you're my favorite emo muffin. -pets-


	3. Stupid Kid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drop dead, Solo.

 

 

In the morning, Bodhi drags himself into the kitchen and falls gracelessly into a chair at the rickety old table shoved up against the wall by the window. Cassian is busy cooking at the stove, making what smells like chilaquiles, if Bodhi had to guess. Kay is sitting in the chair opposite of him, reading one of his textbooks, with his headphones firmly in place to he can ignore them if they try to speak with him. A typical morning for them, really.

Bodhi grunts as Cassian places a mug of coffee in front of him- with plenty of milk already added, _bless him_ \- and Cassian ruffles his messy hair affectionately. “Morning, sunshine. Hungry?”

Bodhi grunts again, slightly louder, which Cassian translates as a _‘yes’_. He returns to the stove and starts pulling down mismatched plates from the cabinet so he can divide and serve the chilaquiles. “Rough night?”

Bodhi lifts his head so he can sip his coffee- Cassian used the _good_ stuff he’d swiped from the cafe -and rubs one hand over his bleary eyes. “Didn’t sleep well. You seem awful chipper this morning..” he mutters, which is a pointless observation, because Cassian is always chipper in the mornings, for some ungodly reason. 

“Classes start next week, I’m excited to get back to work.” Cassian replies with a grin, and Bodhi groans softly, because he did not need that reminder this early in the morning. He takes a large gulp of coffee and leans back as Cassian puts a steaming plate in front of him. 

“Thanks, I needed my daily dose of despair, can’t start the morning without it..” Bodhi grumbles, and Cassian grins again as he sets a plate in front of Kay as well. 

“You’re welcome.” he says, returning to the stove to dish up two more plates- Jyn must have spent the night, then. Kay doesn’t even drag his eyes from his textbook as he starts to eat, something that bothers Bodhi to no end.

“Thank you, Cassian.” the tall man says, flipping a page with his free hand, and his eyes suddenly snap up to meet Bodhi’s so sharply that he nearly jumps in surprise. “Don’t be late for practice tonight. _Again_. I don’t know how you manage to be late every time, it’s not like you have friends aside from us..”

Bodhi gives Kay a bland look before he starts to shovel his chilaquiles into his mouth without ceremony. “Love you too, Kay.”

Kay gives him a look of distaste before turning his eyes back to his textbook. “Your eating habits still leave much to be desire, Bodhi.” he sighs, and Bodhi purposefully shoves a huge bite into his mouth, salsa dripping into his beard in an almost obscene manner- Cassian laughs and Kay looks offended. Jyn chooses that moment to wander into the kitchen, wearing one of Cassian’s shirts, rolled and tied up to fit her tiny frame, her hair still damp from the shower.

“He likes to save the flavors for later.” she quips, and Bodhi rolls his eyes, grabbing the napkin that Kay is shoving towards his face. Cassian sits with the remaining two plates, pulling Jyn into his lap for a sweet kiss, and Kay looks even more offended if possible as he stares at the two of them with horrified gray eyes.

“No PDA at the breakfast table!” he snaps, and Jyn smirks at him as she reaches out to pull her plate closer, remaining perched on Cassian’s lap as she starts to eat.

“Did you not kiss Kay good morning, Cass? He seems jealous.” she teases- Cassian starts to lean towards Kay, his lips puckered, and Kay slams his book shut with a glare.

“You are all _infants._ ” he hisses, unfolding his tall frame and standing up to deposit his plate in the sink, before he stalks off to his room -Jyn laughs, because goading Kay is one of her favorite hobbies, and he makes it so easy. Bodhi snickers and polishes off the rest of his breakfast, his mouth burning pleasantly, and feeling much more awake.

“Why does he have to make it so easy?” he muses, gulping down the rest of his coffee before he gets up and goes to dump his dishes in the sink. Cassian shrugs, still working on his own breakfast, which Jyn keeps still bites of despite the fact that she has her own plate.

“He likes it. He won’t admit it, but he does.” he chuckles, and Bodhi snorts, leaving the two lovebirds to themselves so he can go shower and get ready for work. He finds himself vaguely hoping that maybe Luke will come by again, because at least it would be a break in routine, but quickly shoves that thought out of his brain.

Cassian kisses both Bodhi and Jyn before they leave for work- “Have a good day, _mis estrellas!_ ” -and Bodhi wonders, not for the _first_ time, if he’s secretly part of some weird polyamory love triangle that no one informed him about.

 

—————

 

Luke doesn’t show up- Bodhi isn’t disappointed, _he isn’t_ , he doesn’t even _know_ the kid -but Leia does, with Han trailing behind her once again. She smiles at Bodhi, and he finds himself giving her a small smile in return, because she does seem pleasant despite that sharp, cutting edge that reminds him of Jyn.

“Hello, Bodhi. I’d like a breve again, please, yesterday’s was great.” she tells him, and Bodhi rings it up with a sense of satisfaction. Jyn is already making Han’s triple before he can finish cashing Leia out, because Han _never_ orders anything else, and Bodhi rings him up next.

“See, there’s that service with a smile I was talking’ about.” Han grins, and Bodhi immediately lets his smile drop, giving Han a bland look as he shoves his change across the counter. 

“Drop dead, Solo.” he tells him before turning to get started on Leia’s breve, and her sharp bark of laughter is absolutely _delightful_. Han looks unamused but he shoves a dollar into the tip jar regardless, because he can’t afford to look bad in front of a pretty girl.

“ _Charming_ , Rook, absolutely charming. You know you catch more flies with honey than vinegar, right?” he says, and Bodhi snorts as he starts to steam the half-and-half.

“I’d rather not catch _anything_ from you, thanks, I just got clean test results back.” he answers dryly, and this time Jyn joins Leia in her laughter. Bodhi notices Leia shoving an extra dollar in the tip jar, her dark eyes dancing with mirth, and he decides to make a bear in her breve today. It turns out only slightly demonic looking, and the brunette looks absolutely delighted when he sets it on the counter.

“You’re pretty good at that.. thanks, Bodhi.” Leia smiles at him, not quite as sunny as Luke but warm all the same, and retreats to the same table as yesterday. Han glares at Bodhi and points a finger at him, squinting his eyes in a way Bodhi supposes _might_ be threatening, but looks kind of comical instead.

“I saw her first.” he warns, and Bodhi simply gives him his most charming smile in reply.

“Get bent, Solo.”

Han glares again before he slinks off to go join Leia, and Jyn laughs hysterically in the background. 

 

————

 

Despite the somewhat pleasant start to the day, Bodhi knows it won’t last. His powers of prediction come true when the espresso machine makes a noise like a dying animal being attacked with a chainsaw while he’s in the middle of pulling a shot.

“ _Shit_.” he curses as the machine sputters some kind of horrible, screaming mechanical death- he does not have time for this, the afternoon rush is due soon, his boss is going to murder him. Jyn is staring at the machine with wide eyes, one hand raised as if she wants to hit it, but she’s afraid to touch it.

“Uh.. call Baze?” she suggests, and Bodhi thinks that is probably the best course of action, because he has no idea where to start with fixing this hunk of crap and he _certainly_ doesn’t want to call his boss. He whips out his cell phone as Jyn goes to apologize to the few waiting customers, and pulls up Baze’s number as fast as he can. It picks up after two rings, thank fucking god.

“Do you know how to fix an espresso machine?” he asks without preamble, his voice slightly high-pitched due to panic, and Baze sighs loudly on the other end of the line. 

“Don’t you have a boss to handle this shit?” he mutters, but Bodhi can hear him moving around and looking for what he assumes is his tool kit. 

“Yeah, but he’s a dick, and he’ll dock my pay even though it’s not my fault.” he says, watching as Jyn turns another customer away with endless apologies. “ _Please?_ You and Chirrut can have my first born, I promise.”

Baze snorts, and Bodhi’s hears the distinct sound of tools jangling around. “No thanks, Chirrut picks up enough strays as it is, we’re already stuck with you lot. Be there in fifteen.” he hangs up, and Bodhi sags with relief, because if _anyone_ can fix this piece of shit, it’s gonna be Baze. 

He shoves his phone back into his pocket and takes a deep breath before joining Jyn in doing damage control- he _knew_ this day was going to suck.

 

————

 

[Bodhi met Baze and his husband Chirrut shortly after starting at Columbia. They ran a small music venue called Kyber that was popular with local bands that were just starting out, so naturally the first show Rogue One played was there. They sounded pretty shit, but Chirrut had bopped his head along and smiled from his seat behind the bar, and given them all a free round of drinks after their short set.

“Congratulations on your first show! You guys might have something if you work on it a bit more.” Chirrut told them, nodding sagely as his pale gaze swung in their general direction. “I’ve seen a _lot_ of musicians come and go, _trust me_ , I can tell when a band has something special about them.”

Bodhi had resisted the smartass urge to point out he hadn’t technically _seen_ anything since he was obviously blind, but he got his point. “Hard to work on it when your amp keeps blowing for no fucking reason.” he mutters, downing the rest of his drink.

Baze suddenly looks up from where he’s wiping down the bar and squints at Bodhi. “I can fix that.”

Baze can fix _a lot_ of things, as it turns out.

Every time _Rogue One_ books a show from then on, Kyber is their first choice, and Chirrut always gives them priority in the lineup. If Bodhi starts to see the both of them as the fatherly figure he never had, well- _they_ certainly don’t seem to mind.]

 

—————

 

Baze, the miraculous, _beautiful_ son of a bitch, manages to get the espresso machine working again before the lunch rush. Bodhi isn’t sure _how_ Baze knows how to fix an espresso machine, but he doesn’t care, because Baze is his new patron saint.

“ _Thank you_ , thank you so much, holy shit..” Bodhi breathes as Jyn pulls a shot to test the machine, which might actually be working _better_ than it was before. Baze chuckles and starts to pack his tools back into their kit.

“You’re welcome.” he grunts, cracking his back as he straightens up. “My husband said you have to come over for dinner in payment. _All_ of you. And he wants to know why you haven’t booked a show lately, he thinks you’re cheating on him with another venue.”

“I would _never_.” Bodhi protests vehemently, taking over for Jyn as she rushes to the register and starts taking backed up orders as quick as she can. “We start class next week, we’ve been busy being lazy. I think we’re free Thursday night for dinner, tell Chirrut I want xiao long bao.”

“I’ll tell him.” Baze chuckles, clapping him in the shoulder- Bodhi grunts under the heavy weight of it but continues to pull shots like some kind of demon from espresso hell. “ _Good luck._ ” Baze smirks, and then he’s leaving, and Jyn joins Bodhi at the machine with a flurry of orders that they somehow manage to get through without tripping over each other. 

When they finish catching up, it’s time for the lunch rush, and Bodhi contemplates shoving his head into the bean grinder again.

 

————

 

If he’s being honest, Bodhi would rather go home and collapse on his bed with one of his _Descendents_ records playing, but he drags himself to band practice instead. Because if he doesn’t go, Kay is going to bitch about it forever, and Bodhi doesn’t want to deal with _that_ shit. Cassian has at least taken the liberty of transporting his gear for him while he was at work, so there’s that.

“Pizza?” Cassian offers when he walks into the small, cluttered space they’ve pulled enough funds together for to rent, in an old warehouse that a lot of the music kids at Columbia like to use. Jyn groans and elbows past Bodhi to snatch up the box, hungrily shoving a slice of what looks like pepperoni and black olives into her mouth.

“ _Fuck_ , I love you.” she sighs, and Cassian kisses her forehead with a smile before offering Bodhi a box of italian sausage. Bodhi takes it greedily and proceeds to shove a slice into his mouth as well, after he drops his bag on the floor.

“Marry me.” he mumbles through a mouth full of hot cheese, sauce, and crust- Cassian grins and kisses _his_ forehead too before he goes to pick up his bass and fiddle around with it.

“You’ll have to ask Jyn about that, she’s in charge of the marriage proposals.” he says, strumming and twisting knobs- Jyn wolfs down another slice of pizza hungrily and makes an agreeable sound.

“What’s your dowry offer?” she asks, catching a string of cheese before it can drip against her chin. Bodhi makes a thoughtful sound and tries, unsuccessfully, to wipe grease out of his beard before he grabs another slice.

“My old Fender telecaster, and two goats?” he offers, and Jyn squints at him, considering.

“Only _two_ goats?” she asks after a moment, sounding offended- Bodhi rolls his eyes and reaches for a third slice of pizza.

“ _Three_ goats, and one rooster.” he amends- Jyn looks pleased and nods as she polishes off her own slice of pizza.

“Deal.” she agrees, shooting Cassian a bright smile. “Three goats _and_ a rooster! I knew you were worth keeping around, Cass.”

Cassian smirks as he wanders over to kiss his girlfriend, stealing the last slice of her pizza in the process- he narrowly avoids the kick Jyn aims at his shin, twisting away as he shoves the slice into his mouth. “I’m mostly excited about the telecaster.. good job, _amor_.”

Kay, who has been sitting behind his drum kit this entire time reading a book, looks up at all of them with a baleful glare. “Are we actually going to _play music_ , or are you idiots going to continue your bizarre mating rituals all night?”

Jyn laughs- “Mating rituals, _really_ , Kay?” -and wipes her greasy hands on her jeans before she goes to pull her guitar out of the case and tune it up. Bodhi rolls his eyes but follows- he _did_ want to play now that he was here, actually. Cassian already has his newer telecaster mostly set up for him, and he slings it on, quickly checking it over for himself and feeling every ounce of tension immediately drain from his body as he picked out a few chords.

“What did you wanna start with?” Cassian asks, and Kay has put his book away in favor of twirling his drumsticks as he waits impatiently for them to decide.

“We _should_ practice the new material.” the drummer insists, and Bodhi knows he’s right, but- most of the material for the new songs were taken from one of _those_ notebooks, the ones he filled after Bran, and part of him still feels weird about it. Jyn must notice, because she’s eyeing him with that look in her eyes, the one that makes Bodhi think she’s imagining punching all his demons in the face for daring to make him unhappy.

“Bodhi?” she asks him quietly, and Bodhi knows they’ll play whatever he wants, but he needs to get over it, so-

“Yeah.. yeah, let’s do the new stuff.” he agrees, staring down at his guitar. Kay looks pleased, and Jyn and Cassian both give him a reassuring smile. “Let’s, uh.. lets start with _Cardinals_.” Bodhi decides, and he feels the tattoo across his ribcage tingle for a moment, but he tries to ignore it, stepping up to the microphone as Kay counts them off.

Jyn’s been practicing it on her own, he can tell by how smoothly the chords flow from her guitar, and he closes his eyes as his own guitar joins hers and Kay’s drums kick in and he opens his mouth and sings from that _broken_ place inside him that still hasn’t fully healed-

 

“ _Cardinal crashed into my window, I think he might die, I’ll plan him a funeral I’ll read his last rites, ‘cause I know what he saw in that reflection of light on the glass was a better life.._ ”

 

Bodhi’s voice is raw by the time they finish later that night, and he’s more exhausted _emotionally_ than physically, but he doesn’t have any nightmares, so he takes it as a small victory.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, here, have another quick one. I'm writing like a mad person for this story, and you shall reap aaaaall the benefits!
> 
> Lyrics in this chapter belong to The Wonder Years, and I make zero profit off of them. For this story, Rogue One will essentially _be_ TWY, so go give them a listen if you're curious- the album No Closer To Heaven, in particular. It's what I'm basing most of this fic off of.
> 
> Thank you so much for all the feedback I've already gotten, I appreciate it very much! This fandom is the best.


	4. Teenage Parents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Are you _high?_

 

 

The next few days pass by in an uneventful blur for Bodhi- wake up, work, play music, sleep, repeat. After Sunday rolls around, class will be thrown somewhere into the mix, and he’s almost welcoming it, at this point. 

Leia comes to the coffee shop every morning, usually with Han in tow, much to her annoyance -she always orders a breve, and Bodhi tries to get creative with his coffee art, because Leia’s sheer delight is fun to witness, and it seems to annoy Han to _no_ end.

It’s Thursday morning and Bodhi’s brow is furrowed as he tries to create a bunny, or something close to it- most of his animals seem to turn out a bit evil looking, but Leia doesn’t complain. She’s currently arguing with Han about something- he doesn’t know what, because he has a habit of tuning them out now after the past few days of their bickering. Bodhi grabs a toothpick to add some whiskers to his bunny masterpiece, and glances towards the door as the bell tinkles.

 

Luke strolls in, all _sunshine and rainbows_ , and Bodhi almost drops the toothpick into the breve. Jyn is suddenly grinning over at him from the sink, her eyebrows doing a strange dance up and down her forehead, and Bodhi glares at her.

“Hey, guys!” Luke calls, smiling sunnily as he joins Han and Leia at the counter- Leia smiles and kisses his cheek in a sisterly fashion, while Han slaps him on the back.

“Hey, kid. You all settled in to your dorm now?” he asks, and Luke makes a face but nods as he leans against the counter.

“Yeah, wish it wasn’t so small, though.. not a lot of room for my keyboards.” he laments, and Han smirks, shaking his head.

“There’s plenty of spaces around here you can use, the university rents them out for pretty cheap. I think Bodhi has one at the old industrial warehouse.. hey Rook, you still have that spot at the warehouse?” Han calls, and Bodhi counts to ten in his head before he brings Leia her breve- she laughs at the angry looking rabbit and pulls out her phone to take a picture. Luke leans over to look at it as well, and _his_ laugh is probably making an angel weep somewhere. Bodhi does his best to ignore the flush rising on the back of his neck and gives Han a dull look instead.

“Maybe. They do still have some empty rooms open, though.” he says, fiddling with the register. Luke looks at him with a grin and Bodhi gives him a small smile in return, because how can he _not_. The kid's happiness is almost infectious.

“Hey, Bodhi! Sorry I haven’t come by, I was kinda busy moving into my dorm and doing boring orientation stuff.” he apologizes, and Bodhi shrugs one shoulder, because he knows exactly what he means. Luke glances up at the menu, his brow furrowing for a moment. “Can I get whatever you made me last time? It was really good.”

“One chai latte, comin’ right up.” Bodhi replies, smiling just a bit more. Luke hands him a five, and catches his eyes as he pops the register open to get his change.

“Can I get a cute drawing too?” he asks, bright blue eyes damn near sparkling, and Bodhi closes the drawer with more force than necessary before handing him his change.

“I’ll see what I can do.” he replies quickly, and Jyn is snickering behind him, that _traitor_ \- Luke gives him another sunny smile as he dumps his change into the tip jar, and Bodhi quickly goes to get the latte started. He does his best to tune the trio out as they all start chattering away, not daring to look no matter how much his eyes feel drawn towards Luke. He feels like he’s a teenager again, and it’s _fucking ridiculous_. 

Jyn slides up beside him, nudging him in the ribs, and Bodhi has to tell himself that spilling scalding hot milk on her would be a _bad idea_ , because she is his _friend_. Also, Cassian would hurt him. Kay might high-five him, though, so there’s that.

“Go stock the bakery case, _I hate you._ ” he hisses, and Jyn leans up to kiss his cheek unrepentantly. 

“Write your number on the napkin.” she whispers helpfully, and Bodhi is _actually going to murder his best friend_ , Cassian’s wrath be damned. Jyn hums cheerfully as she goes to grab some stock from the back, ignoring his searing glare, and he counts to ten in his head yet again as he tries to figure out what to draw for Luke.

Bodhi ends up making him a happy looking sun, because he’s an _idiot_ like that- he sets it on the counter with a flourish, and Luke’s smile is so bright it almost hurts to look at him. Leia smirks and takes a picture of that one as well, while Han rolls his eyes. 

“Cute. You trying to tell me something, Bodhi?” Luke sound almost teasing, and that is- there is _no way_ this kid is flirting with him, it’s not happening, so Bodhi shrugs as he leans against the counter, trying to play it cool-

“Your smile should come with a pair of sunglasses.” is what comes out of his mouth, his brain decidedly _not playing it cool_ \- Luke looks surprised for a moment before he’s smiling much more slyly, and Leia is laughing into her breve while Han looks _floored_ that such a sentence was produced by Bodhi’s mouth and not his own.

“I’ll bring you a pair, tomorrow.” Luke promises, his eyes bright, and before Bodhi can respond the trio of them are walking away with their drinks. He stares after them for a moment- what the _fuck,_ brain, I thought we had an _agreement_ about this kind of shit -before he flees the counter, nearly knocking over Jyn as she comes out of the back with a tray of muffins.

“I’m taking my break!” he calls quickly, and can’t bring himself to give a shit as Jyn curses after him for leaving her alone with a newly forming line of customers.

Bodhi quit smoking last year, but he desperately wishes he had a pack of cigarettes on him.

 

————

 

The trio is gone when Bodhi comes back inside, much to his relief. Jyn is staring at him suspiciously as he pulls his apron back on.

“Did you say something to Luke?” she asks, tone deceptively light. Bodhi busies himself with washing a few dishes so he doesn’t have to look at her.

“Nope.” he answers, perhaps a little too quickly- Jyn arches an eyebrow, setting the cappuccino in her hands on the counter for a customer before she slides up next to him, very close, and Bodhi tenses. Oh, no.

“Mmhmm.” she hums, not believing him one bit, and Bodhi scrubs at the mug in his hands with far more force than is necessary. Jyn shakes her head and smiles at him like the dumb, _helpless_ puppy of a boy she thinks he is. “He left this on the counter for you when he left..” she says, sounding very amused, and Bodhi’s eyes dart up as she holds a napkin out in front of his face.

 

There’s a cute little pen doodle of a sun wearing _sunglasses_ on it- _heart shaped_ sunglasses. For _fuck’s sake_. 

 

Bodhi does _not_ blush as Jyn grins and shoves the napkin into his back pocket for him. He’s just warm from the hot water in the sink. That’s all.

 

———— 

 

Bodhi and Jyn make it through the rest of their shift unscathed, thank god- Jyn doesn’t even tease Bodhi that much, which makes him suspicious, more than anything. They both go home to change, because they’re due at Chirrut and Baze’s for dinner soon, and Bodhi _hates_ smelling like coffee all day. When he walks in to the apartment, Kay is reading on the couch and Cassian is singing something in spanish as he sweeps the kitchen- _Como la Flor_ , he thinks. Bodhi throws them an absent wave and heads straight to the shower, knowing Kay will start bitching if he takes too long. 

Once he’s freshly scrubbed, and smelling strangely like vanilla and hazelnuts- he doesn’t know if that’s Jyn’s soap or Cassian’s that he used, but his money is on _Cassian’s_ -he changes into a fresh set of clothes and tries, in vain, to comb through his tangled mess of hair as he wanders into the living room. Kay sighs at him like his mere _existence_ is painful, before he gets up and snatches the comb from Bodhi.

“Turn.” he orders, and Bodhi complies, letting the much taller man comb his long hair free of tangles- he doesn’t know how Kay does it, but it never hurts when he combs his hair for him, not with the gentle precision he uses. Kay keeps his own dark hair cropped relatively short, so Bodhi isn’t sure where he learned to do it. 

“Infant.” Kay mutters when he’s finished, and Bodhi turns to grin at him as he takes the comb back.

“Thanks, mom!” he chirps, and Kay glares at him without much heat behind it. Cassian chuckles from the kitchen and finishes tidying up, as Bodhi gathers his damp hair into a messy bun at the back of his neck.

“Let’s get going, we don’t want to be late.” Cassian urges, and Bodhi goes to pull his shoes on while Kay grabs a bottle of wine from the fridge, because he refuses to attend their dinner ‘dates’ without bringing something. Bodhi ducks into his room and grabs his acoustic guitar at the last second- Chirrut likes it when he plays, and he hasn’t seen him in a while, so he might as well have some fun. 

“ _No_ Katy Perry.” Kay tells Bodhi firmly, and Cassian laughs as they all step out into the hall.

 

————

 

They meet up with Jyn and head over to Kyber- Baze and Chirrut live in the apartment over the venue, a spacious loft that Bodhi envies. Baze greets them at the door with a smile and ushers them inside.

“Chirrut’s cooking, if you die it’s not my fault.” he warns them, leading them into the kitchen. Chirrut is sitting on a stool at the center island, forming xiao long bao swiftly in his hands- he looks up as they enter and scowls.

“You _wound_ me, my love.” he says dramatically, plopping the bao in his hands down into an ever-growing pile on a tray. Baze snorts and goes to kiss the top of head before stashing the wine Kay had given him in the fridge.

“I’m just saying, I was sick with food poisoning for three days, that one time..” he muses, and Chirrut throws a small ball of dough in his direction, which Baze catches easily.

“That happened _once!_ And it was your fault for buying expire seafood!” Chirrut insists, and Baze rolls his eyes. Cassian smirks and goes to give Chirrut a kiss on the cheek, patting his shoulder.

“I believe you, Chirrut.” he tells the blind man, and Chirrut looks very smug as he pulls Cassian down for a hug.

“See? I should have married Cassian instead! I bet he’s _much_ more handsome, too, and doesn’t snore.” Chirrut crows, pointing a finger at Baze as the other man sighs. Baze gives Cassian a bland look and gestures to his husband as if saying _“please, take him, he’s all yours”_ \- Cassian, Jyn and Bodhi all laugh, while even Kay looks mildly amused. 

“Laugh all you want, I may steal him yet.. now, where is my emo son?” Chirrut demands, and Bodhi rolls his eyes, going to the older man and letting himself be drawn into a hug.

“Please don’t call me that.” he insists, pressing a kiss to Chirrut’s forehead- he knows it’s a useless plea, but he has to try. Chirrut grins and pats his cheek fondly before gently pushing him away.

“Where is my angry daughter and my sassy son?” he demands again, and Jyn and Kay are drawn into hugs next- Kay looks slightly uncomfortable, but doesn’t protest, patting Chirrut awkwardly on the back. Baze scoops up the tray of bao Chirrut has already prepared and starts to layer them in the bamboo steamer already settled on the stove while they all catch up. 

The loft is soon filled with the smell of delicious food and laughter, and Bodhi feels completely happy for the first time in weeks.

 

————

 

The happiness lasts until halfway through dinner, when Jyn decided its the _perfect_ time to throw Bodhi under the bus.

“Bodhi met a boy.” she says around a mouthful of steaming hot bao- Bodhi drops his chopsticks and glares bloody murder across the table at her, silently cursing whoever the _fuck_ decided to stick him with _Jyn Erso_ for all eternity.

“A _boy?_ ” Chirrut asks with utter delight, turning his pale gaze towards where he knows Bodhi is sitting. Bodhi shrinks down in his chair, and Baze and Cassian both look incredibly amused.

“He’s just a customer, it’s _nothing_.” he hisses, trying to figure out if he can suddenly develop the power to _kill Jyn with his mind_ \- she smiles at him impishly, not threatened in the least by his glares.

“He’s cute, looks like a damn ray of sunshine. He was definitely flirting with Bodhi today.” she tells everyone, and Bodhi tries to stab her with one of his chopsticks as she reaches for another bao. She's too quick for him, as usual.

“Luke was _not_ flirting-“ is all he manages to get out, because Baze and Chirrut interrupt him, eerily in unison- _“Luke?”_ -their voices dripping with curiously and thinly veiled amusement. Cassian is smirking and not looking surprised at all, which means Jyn has already told _him_ , and Kay looks bored, because he doesn’t care about anyone’s love life. 

 

Bodhi wants to _die_. 

 

“Tell us about this Luke, Bodhi!” Chirrut insists brightly, a grin on his face. “Is he your true love?”

“My _true lo_ \- are you _high_ , Chirrut, I’ve met this kid _twice!_ ” Bodhi exclaims in a much higher pitch than he likes, staring at the older man like he’s completely lost his mind. Chirrut laughs and lays a hand on Baze’s shoulder.

“I knew Baze was my true love the first day we met!” he says proudly, leaning up to find his husband’s face so he can kiss it. “Didn’t you know I was your true love, my heart?”

“I knew you were _trouble_.” Baze admits with a huff, shoving another bao into his mouth. “I knew I was never going to get rid of you no matter what I did. I kind of resigned myself to my fate.”

Chirrut scoffs, slapping at his husband’s shoulder in admonishment, and Kay snorts as he helps himself to some more wine. “True love, indeed.”

Bodhi gestures wildly for the wine when Kay is done with it, because he _cannot_ deal with this shit right now, and Kay hands it to him with a vague look of what might be sympathy. 

 

—————

 

The rest of the evening manages to pass by smoothly, once they get off the subject of Luke, and Bodhi’s abysmal lack of a love life. He doesn’t deserve this, Bodhi tells himself. He’s a good guy. He pays his bills, he does his homework, he pays his taxes. He even _calls his mother_ once a week. _He doesn’t deserve this_. Luckily, they take pity on him after dinner, because Chirrut decides music is more important than gossip, for once.

“Play that song I like about kissing!” he demands, sitting on Baze’s lap in one of their oversized chairs in the living room. Cassian and Jyn are taking up the loveseat, and Kay is perusing Chirrut’s library- most of the books are in braille, but there’s a few older poetry books that Baze reads to Chirrut when he asks. Bodhi is sitting on the edge of the couch, strumming and tuning his guitar. He smirks as Kay whirls around, pointing one finger at Chirrut threateningly even though the older man can’t see it.

“ _No_ Katy Perry!” he almost growls, and Chirrut laughs, waving a hand at him dismissively as Baze rolls his eyes.

“My home, my rules. Play it! Make it about kissing boys, though.” Chirrut all but demands, kissing his husband as if for emphasis, and Bodhi snorts as he tries to remember the chords. Kay seethes but turns back to the bookcase without comment as Bodhi starts to play. He does his best to switch up the lyrics as requested, much to Cassian and Jyn’s amusement, and only fumbles over them a few times. 

Chirrut joins him in the last few versus, _horribly_ off key, and Baze looks at his husband with a mix of fondness and complete and utter _exasperation_.

 

Bodhi goes through a whole round of requests- _Landslide, Under the Bridge, Swing Life Away, All Apologies, Good Riddance_ -and Cassian even takes over once to do a fairly decent version of _Creep_ that has Jyn grinning. Everyone is having a good time, even Kay- he's curled up in another chair with a poetry book, ignoring them, but Bodhi can see his foot tapping along with each song, and the subtle smile on his face when Bodhi decides to play an acoustic version of _Everlong_ just for him.

 

The teasing about his love-life aside, Bodhi decides that the evening turns out pretty okay after all.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chirrut and Baze are Cool Dads. I wish they were my Cool Dads. :( also, Luke, pls, stop being cute, it's bad for Bodhi's blood pressure. 
> 
> Songs referenced this chapter are from the following bands: Fleetwood Mac, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rise Against, Nirvana, Green Day, Foo Fighters. Also, all chapter titles are taken from various songs I listen to while working on this fic. I told you there was gonna be a lot of music involved.


	5. Space

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You know you're allowed to be happy, right?

 

 

 

Luke walks into the cafe the next morning wearing a shirt that, in Bodhi’s opinion, is at _least_ two sizes too small. It’s an _Alkaline Trio_ shirt, at that. Just who the _hell_ did he piss off in the great cloudy upstairs to deserve this?

Bodhi does his absolute best not to stare as Luke comes up to the counter with a bright smile. “Mornin’, Bodhi!” he greets, far more cheerily than most of his customers can ever manage, and Bodhi feels his lips twitch into a smile in response.

“Morning. Another chai latte for you?” he asks, punching it in as Luke nods. Luke leans over to peer at the bakery case that Jyn is currently stocking, giving her a little wave- she smiles at him as she continues stacking muffins with meticulous precision. Luke hums thoughtfully. “Anything good today? I haven’t had breakfast yet..”

“I think the chocolate croissants are pretty good.. Jyn likes the lemon scones best.” Bodhi offers, and Luke smiles as he slips his wallet out of his- _far_ too tight -jeans.

“I’ll try a croissant.” he says, and Jyn promptly wraps one up for him- the biggest one, Bodhi notices -and sets it on the counter with a wink that makes the younger boy blush a bit. Bodhi resists the urge to rolls his eyes as he cashes Luke out and hands him his change, which is promptly dumped in the tip jar.

“You like vanilla?” Bodhi asks as he turns to get started on the chai, and Luke blinks at his back, one eyebrow arching curiously.

“Yeah?..” he offers, and Bodhi hums under his breath as he gets started, adding a little vanilla- something he enjoys in his own chai -to change it up for today. He can feel Luke’s eyes on him as he works, and he glances over at him as he starts to steam the milk.

“You ready for class?” Bodhi asks, casual, and he can feel Jyn’s eyes boring into the side of his head, because he almost _never_ makes small talk with customers. Luke smiles, bending so he can lean his elbows on the counter as he watches Bodhi work, and Bodhi can’t help but stare for a minute because _that_ is a delightful position for Luke’s lean body to be in. 

“Yeah, I think so.. I’m pretty excited. I took a year off after high school to try and decide what I wanted to pursue, so I’m ready to jump right in, now.” Luke sounds so enthusiastic it almost hurts, and Bodhi feels himself smiling a little more, because it's pretty refreshing. He hopes the grind doesn’t crush all that enthusiasm from him as quickly as it does for everyone else.

“What’s your end game?” Bodhi furrows his brow as he tries to decide on what to make in Luke’s latte today- a rabbit? a cat? -and Luke grins.

“I’d like to make music professionally, obviously. Or be a producer.” he replies, tilting his head to the side. “What about you? You’re in a band, right? Is that what you want to do?”

Bodhi snorts softly and finally decides to make a series of music notes floating in the latte. “It’d be nice, but I doubt we’re going to go anywhere like _that_.” he says, and behind him, he can hear Jyn scoff in disagreement. “I’ve taken enough classes I could do anything, though.. sound engineering, producing, management. Who knows.”

Luke’s brow is just a bit furrowed when Bodhi finishes and sets his latte on the counter, but it disappears when he looks down, chuckling at the collection of music notes floating cheerily in his drink. “You’re pretty good at this.”

Bodhi arches an eyebrow and crosses his arms over his chest as he leans against the counter. “My true calling in life, perhaps.. a shitty latte artist. The past years of my college education have been _such_ a waste.” he drawls, and Luke laughs- Bodhi is _not_ enchanted by the way his blue eyes seem to sparkle, he is _not_ , because this is _real life_ and not a fucking _romcom_. 

“Glad I could help you come to that conclusion.” Luke muses, straightening up and reaching for his latte- he pauses, suddenly, as if remembering something, and reaches into his back pocket with a smirk. “Oh, yeah, I almost forgot.. these are for you.”

Luke produces a pair of all black Ray-Ban style sunglasses from his pocket, smiling sunnily as he holds them out, and Bodhi can’t help it as he laughs in surprise. He can’t believe he actually remembered. What a little _shit_.

“Well, I guess I won’t go blind, after all.” he hesitates just a second before taking them, and Luke looks absolutely pleased as he slips them on. Bodhi smirks as Luke gives him a bright grin. “Not bad, dims the sunbeams down quite a bit.”

Luke laughs- Bodhi can hear Jyn trying to stifle her own laughter, behind him, too -and gives him another smirk as he starts to move away from the counter. “Glad to hear it.. they look good on you. See you ‘round, Bodhi.”

Luke retreats to a corner of the cafe, and Bodhi watches him go, feeling slightly like an idiot as he feels the back of his neck get hot. This is bad. This is _very bad_. Bodhi doesn’t do this kind of thing, he doesn’t get _involved_ with people or _flirt_ , not since- not since-

The bell above the door tinkles- Han, Leia, and Han’s burly, bearded roommate Chewie stroll in, distracting Bodhi from his thoughts, thankfully. He’s already punching in Leia’s breve and Han’s triple before they reach the counter- Han arches an eyebrow at him, while Leia is trying very hard not to smile.

“Nice shades, Rook. Hungover?” Han quips, pulling out his wallet, and Bodhi belatedly realizes he’s still _wearing_ the fucking things- he shoves them back into his hair quickly, feeling like an idiot yet again as Leia chuckles and Han smirks.

Luke laughs from across the cafe, that _little shit._

 

————

 

Bodhi keeps the sunglasses shoved back into his hair for the rest of the day, and Jyn finds it equal parts hilarious and adorable. 

“Why don’t you give him your number?” she asks while both of them are sweeping up at the end of the night. Bodhi frowns and doesn’t look at her as he sweeps straw-wrappers out from beneath a table.

“I don’t even know him..” he mutters, going to grab the dust pan. Jyn looks unimpressed.

“That’s kind of the _point_ of exchanging phone numbers, I hear. Getting to know someone.” she tells him dryly, and Bodhi rolls his eyes as he sweeps the mess into the pan. 

“I’m not looking to date right now.” is his firm answer, and Jyn sighs as she leans on her broom, looking at him like she wants to punch him.

“You _always_ say that, Bodhi, come on.. he seems sweet, and he’s adorable to boot. You were _flirting_ with him!” she insists, and Bodhi presses his lips together into a thin line as he dumps the pan into the waste bin. 

“ _Not_ interested.” he knows his voice is getting sharper, but Jyn has such a way of getting under his skin, she always has. He can feel her green eyes practically piercing into the back of his skull.

“You’re the worst fucking liar, Bodhi, don’t even try it. Why won’t you let yourself have some fun?” she’s fed up, now, he can hear it in her crisp tone, and he bristles. Jyn’s voice softens, then, and she sounds hesitant as she takes a step closer to him. “You know you’re.. you’re _allowed_ to be happy, right?.. Bran would want that, you can’t think you’re not allowed to meet someone else after all this _time-_ ”

 

Bodhi slams the dustpan down so hard he’s surprised it doesn’t break. “I don’t know _what_ Bran would want, since _he’s dead._ ”

 

“Bodhi, I’m sorry, I’m just _worried-_ “

“You can finish closing on your own.” he tells Jyn tersely, and he knows its a dick move, but he has to leave, because his chest feels tight and his ears are ringing, and he needs to _go_. Jyn calls after him as he storms out but she lets him go, because she knows he needs to, and his hands are starting to shake as he grabs his bag and pulls out his Ativan, popping two of them dry as he leaves out the back door.

 

_You’re allowed to be happy.._

 

Bodhi knows that. He _knows_ he’s allowed to be happy even though Bran is dead, it’s been six years, he should be over it and _happy_ with his life. _He knows that._

 

.. doesn’t he?

 

————

 

Bodhi doesn’t say a word to Cassian or Kay when he gets home, just locks himself in his room and starts tearing through his records. His hands are still shaking a little as he finds his copy of _Sirens and Condolences_ and puts it on, cranking the volume. His chest still feels tight as he sits on his bed and slumps back against the wall, closing his burning eyes and trying to focus on the music. He won't cry. He _won't_.

Bodhi reaches up and pulls the sunglasses out of his hair after a few minutes, turning them over in his hands as he stares at them. He thinks he should throw them away, but part of him protests violently to that thought. He sets them on his nightstand instead and sighs shakily, kicking his shoes off and ripping the elastic from his ponytail before he buries himself underneath his blankets. 

He spends the rest of the night trying not to think about anything but music. 

 

———— 

 

Cassian slips a note under his door around eleven. Bodhi rolls out of bed long enough to snatch it up and read it.

 

_Are you okay?  
Y / N_

 

Bodhi smiles just a bit- there’s a heart drawn underneath the Y/N bit -and grabs a pen off his desk so he can circle the ‘Y’ before it slipping it back under the door. A few minutes later, it slides back to his side of the door with more written on it.

 

_I made red rice and chicken if you want some._  
_Kay said you can have a slice of the cheesecake he bought if you want._  
Y / N 

 

Bodhi smiles a little more and circles the ‘Y’ with a heart this time before sliding it back under the door. He hears Cassian walk away towards the kitchen, and goes to restart his record before he crawls back into bed. Ten minutes later, someone knocks on the door, and Bodhi grunts his permission for them to enter.

Cassian comes in with two plates balanced on his arm- one loaded with chicken and rice, the smaller one a big piece of cheesecake -and a glass of water in his other hand. He smiles at Bodhi and sets them on his nightstand before leaning over to kiss the top of his head and squeeze his shoulder. Bodhi gives him a tired smile, knowing he _really_ doesn’t deserve a friend like Cassian, but he’s selfish, so he thinks he’ll keep him anyway. 

“Thanks.” he tells him, voice a little rough, and Cassian waves him off with another smile before he leaves, closing the door quietly behind him. Bodhi sits up and sighs as he looks at the food on his nightstand, eyes darting between the rice and the cheesecake. He hasn't eaten since lunch, and his stomach rumbles angrily at him for not shoving food into his face immediately.

He eats the cheesecake first, because he’s an adult, and Kay is _rarely_ so generous with his desserts. 

 

—————

 

Bodhi feels like shit the next morning, because of _course_ he has nightmares. He spends another hour moping around in bed before he decides to get up- as soon as he opens his door, Jyn is standing there, and he nearly jumps out of his skin as she hugs him tightly.

“Jesus! Were you _waiting_ for me?” he asks, lifting his arms after a moment to hug her back. She nods against his chest, and Bodhi feels like shit again when he remembers how he yelled at her last night. “Sorry.. about.. you know..”

“No, I’m sorry I pushed.” she tells him, looking up at Bodhi with her big green eyes, and he forgives her, of course, because it’s Jyn and she’s like his sister. “I really just want you to be _happy_ , Bodhi.. we all do. You deserve it.”

Bodhi mumbles something like “Yeah, I know.” in reply, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly as Jyn releases him. He doesn’t want to think about it anymore, and Jyn must see it in his face, because she smiles and drags him into the kitchen.

“Kay’s making pancakes!” she says excitedly, and Bodhi nearly trips as he stares at her.

“Who the _hell_ let Kay near the stove?!”

Kay, wearing a frilly pink apron that Cassian keeps hanging in the kitchen, glares at Bodhi and points his spatula menacingly to the stack of slightly burnt pancakes sitting on the kitchen table.

“Sit down and eat your _fucking pancakes_ , Bodhi.”

Bodhi does his best not to laugh, and obeys.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bodhi still feels a lot of guilt over Bran, obviously.. poor thing. At least he has his friends to take care of him.
> 
>  _Sirens and Condolences_ is by the band Bayside, and one of Bodhi's go-to albums for when he's feeling emo.


	6. Coffee Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is he even legal?

 

 

Class starts up again, and Bodhi and Jyn have to cut back on their hours at the cafe, picking up more random shifts when they have the time. Bodhi’s coursework isn’t particularly heavy this semester, thank god- most of it is reviewing the same shit he learned last semester, at the moment. It won’t last, he knows, but it makes settling back into the whole school routine easier. 

He still sees Luke at the cafe now and then- the freshman is more than eager to talk Bodhi’s ear off about his classes and the people he’s meeting, and Bodhi lets him, because it’s amusing, and because he just likes listening to Luke talk. Leia still comes by with Han trailing after her more often than not, and Bodhi wonders what’s up with _that_ , because Han normally would have moved on to his next victim by now. Cassian and Kay start to drop by more as well, needing their caffeine fix before their own classes- Bodhi thinks they might have an ulterior motive, however.

He catches Cassian whispering “Is that him?” to Jyn one day, while he’s busy making Cassian’s mocha and Kay’s double- Bodhi looks over, and Cassian is peering at Luke, who’s sitting in the corner with Han, Chewie, and Wedge Antilles, the cute brunette RA that Bodhi _may_ have made out with at a party one time. Two times? He was pretty drunk, he doesn’t exactly _remember_. 

“Yeah, the blonde. Isn’t he _adorable_?” Jyn whispers, and Bodhi stares at them, because they are being so obvious it nearly _pains_ him. Kay follows their gaze, looking bored, and arches an eyebrow.

“He’s the one Bodhi wants to bang?” he asks blandly, but _far too loudly_ , and Bodhi is going to have a fucking _heart attack_. “He looks quite young, is he even le-“

Bodhi throws a handful of coffee stirrers in Kay’s face, because Luke is looking towards them now, and Wedge is whispering in his ear with a shit eating grin, that bastard- “Shut up, _shut up_ , oh my god, _shut the fuck up!_ ” Bodhi hisses, panicking, and Kay glares at him while Jyn laughs _hysterically_ , as if this is the funniest thing she’s seen in _weeks._

“Was that really necessary?” Kay gripes, and Bodhi quickly shoves his double at him, his dark eyes promising all kinds of painful retribution as he glares at the taller man.

“Yes, now please go away, for the love of god.” he hisses again, and he notices Luke is smiling over at him, one eyebrow arched in curiosity- Kay glances over his shoulder at the blonde, and rolls his eyes.

“You really _do_ need to get laid.” he mutters, taking a sip of his double, and Bodhi throws another handful of stirrers at him as he turns and leaves. Jyn is laughing again, and Bodhi shoves her as he goes to finish making Cassian’s mocha.

“Go clean those up.” he orders, and Jyn smirks and gives him a mock salute before she goes to grab the broom. Cassian is staring at Bodhi with barely contained mirth dancing in his dark eyes, and as soon as he opens his mouth, Bodhi has another fistful of stirrers gathered in one hand.

“Not a _fucking_ word.” he snaps, because he is _done with this shit_. Cassian wisely shuts his mouth and gets out of Jyn’s way as she starts to sweep up the mess Bodhi made. 

“So touchy..” Jyn mutters, still smiling, and Bodhi glares at her as he hands Cassian his finished mocha. 

“What’s that, Jyn? The bathroom needs to be cleaned?” he drawls, and Jyn’s head snaps up with a horrified look.

“Oh no, Bodhi, not _again_ , please-“ she moans, and Bodhi crosses his arms over his chest, completely unmoved.

“Can’t hear you over the sound of the toilet needing a good scrub, Jyn.” he says, and she curses colorfully at him as he turns his eyes back to Cassian. “Say goodbye to Jyn, Cassian.”

“Goodbye, Jyn.” Cassian grins, leaning down to kiss the top of his girlfriend’s head as she pouts at him. He gives Bodhi a wave as he takes off, and his shoulders are shaking with laughter now that he’s outside of Jyn’s punching range.

“Bodhi, this isn’t _fair_..” Jyn groans as she finishes sweeping up the mess of coffee stirrers. He simply points towards the bathrooms, because it probably isn’t, but he’s feeling like a vindictive ass today.

“ _Goodbye_ , Jyn.” he parrots Cassian, and she scowls and flips him the bird before stomping off to get the cleaning supplies from the closet. Bodhi sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, wondering if Jyn is going to kill him later. Probably. Oh well, it was worth the twenty minutes of peace and fucking quiet.

Luke has watched the entire exchange with a look of utterly amused fondness that Bodhi totally doesn’t catch. 

Wedge notices it, though, and wonders if anyone has started a betting pool on these two idiots yet. If so, Han probably has the books on it.

 

————

 

Bodhi is sitting in a corner of the cafe on his break three weeks later, lying face down in his advanced music theory textbook, because he’s _tired_ and considering dropping out of school. The chair across from him slides out, and he lifts his head long enough to see Luke sit down with a smile.

“Fun stuff?” he asks, trying to peer around Bodhi’s head at the text. Bodhi grunts and closes his eyes again.

“Riveting.” he drones, absolutely deadpan, and Luke laughs, picking up one of the other textbooks Bodhi has resting on the table.

“Seems like it.” he agrees, flipping through a few pages. His blue eyes dart up as Bodhi shifts and grunts again, lingering on the way Bodhi’s dark hair is spread out across the pages beneath his face. His fingers twitch, like he wants to touch it. “I almost fell asleep in my intro to composition class today, myself..”

“I don’t blame you, Ackbar is pretty boring..” Bodhi mutters, sighing as he forces himself to sit up. He rakes his messy hair out of his face, missing the way Luke’s eyes follow the motion. “Raddus is better, you’ll have him next time.”

Luke makes an agreeable sound, and Bodhi drags his half finished coffee up to his lips- it’s mostly cold, but he finishes it anyway. Luke leans back in his chair, and Bodhi eyes the way his well-worn shirt stretches across his chest- a _Descendants_ shirt, he notes- will the wonders never _cease_?

“So I think I’ve got a band together.” Luke says suddenly, and Bodhi snaps his attention back to his face immediately, surprised.

“Already? That was quick.” he notes, and Luke shrugs one shoulder, smiling at him. “You seem like the type to make friends pretty quick, though.. anyone I’d know?”

“Well, Han obviously, and Chewie said he’d play drums.” Luke starts, and Bodhi stares, because- Chewie goes in and out of a lot of bands, that’s not surprising, but _Han_ hasn’t played in a band since _Millennium Falcon_ broke up. Han must really like the kid. Or, more likely, his _sister_ , Leia. 

“Wedge said he’d play guitar, which is awesome, because I’ve heard him and he’s really good.” Luke continues, sounding excited- Wedge is good, so Bodhi’s happy for that, but he’s _vaguely_ concerned because Wedge is a shit and known for getting into trouble. “And Han introduced me to his friend, Lando, who plays bass..”

“ _Do not_ go to any of Lando’s parties.” Bodhi interrupts quickly, because he _knows_ Lando’s parties, and that is _not_ the kind of environment Luke needs to be hanging out in. Luke blinks at him and arches an eyebrow, nodding after a moment, and Bodhi feels a little relieved. 

“Well, I can’t say you’ve got a bad lineup there, so congrats on that.” he tells him, smiling a bit as Luke beams. “What about you?”

Luke flushes just a bit as he rubs the back of his neck, and Bodhi can admit that he finds it slightly adorable. “Oh, I’m gonna do keyboards, and uh, sing, I guess..” he admits, sounding a little unsure. Bodhi smirks.

“I remember Leia saying you should sing more.” he tells him, trying to be reassuring- he has a hard time singing in front of people himself, so he gets it. “I’m sure you guys will be great.”

Luke grins at him, still a little shy but happy, and Bodhi’s chest feels warm. “Thanks.. here’s to hoping. You know, I _still_ haven’t heard your band.. you guys got any shows coming up?” he asks, sounding hopeful, and Bodhi shrugs one shoulder apologetically.

“Haven’t had time.. maybe when things settle down a little more.” he says, and Luke looks disappointed, but smiles anyway in an attempt to hide it.

“Well, I wanna be the first to know if you book something.” he inists, and Bodhi smiles before glancing at the clock. His break is up.

“I gotta get back to work.” he sighs, gathering his textbooks and shoving them into his bag. Luke looks disappointed yet again, and Bodhi finds himself not liking it. “Good luck with the band stuff.. I’ll see you around, I’m sure.”

“Yeah, sure.. see ya, Bodhi.” Luke gives him a bright smile as he goes, and Bodhi starts to gather his hair back into a bun before he slips into the back room to drop his bag off. He throws his apron back on when he comes out, going to help Jyn as she washes some dishes- it’s pretty slow today, not that either one of them are complaining. She gives him a sideways look, one perfect brow arched.

“Have fun studying?” she asks, and she’s not exactly teasing him, but- Bodhi glances over as Luke leaves, throwing the both of them a wave and a smile. He blinks when he realizes Luke didn’t even _buy_ anything. Had he dropped by just to- just to see him? No. _No_ , that’s ridiculous. 

Jyn is smiling at him when he turns back to the sink, and he can’t help the sudden smile ticking at the corner of his own mouth.

“Tons of fun, actually.” he answers, and the grin that splits Jyn’s face is almost bright enough to give Luke’s a run for its money. 

_Almost._

 

————

 

Bodhi talks to Cassian that week, and Cassian talks to Kay and Jyn- they find a weekend that they all have relatively free, and Cassian calls Chirrut to book a show for _Rogue One_ at Kyber. 

Bodhi feels excited, and tells himself its because he misses playing to a crowd, _not_ because he wants to surprise Luke with the show.

Kay designs a flyer, because he’s a decent artist and enjoys doing it, and Jyn gets a bunch of them printed off at Kinko’s so they can hand them out and pin them up on campus. He tapes one up at the cafe, in the front window, and Jyn leaves a stack of smaller flyers on the counter near the tip jar for people to take if they want. 

“Who’s _Rogue One_?” Luke asks later that day, picking up one of the brightly colored flyers curiously. Leia peers over his shoulder- Han is nowhere in sight, for once, probably in class. Bodhi smirks as he hands Luke his change, and the younger boy’s eyes suddenly widen.

“Is this you guys!?” he asks excitedly, and Jyn laughs as she starts to make Leia’s breve- mocha, today, she must be getting bored, Bodhi notes.

“That's us.” Jyn confirms, and Bodhi chuckles a bit as he goes to get started on Luke’s chai. 

“You can both make it, right?” he asks over his shoulder, and Leia grins as she takes the flyer from Luke to check the date.

“I think so.. I don’t have classes that late.” she tells him, and Luke nods almost furiously, like he can’t contain his excitement. 

“Definitely! I’ll be there, _promise_.” Luke grins, and Bodhi almost flinches, because he _hates_ that word, even after all these years- he shakes it off and finishes off Luke’s latte with a happy bunny design. Jyn makes a flower in Leia’s that isn’t half-bad, so Bodhi assumes she’s been practicing. Luke and Leia both look delighted as usual when their drinks are set on the counter.

“Do you make drawings for everyone?” Leia asks curiously, snapping a picture of their lattes on her phone, as usual. Bodhi grabs a rag so he can wipe down the bar- how Jyn manages to spill milk _everywhere_ when she uses the steamer, he’ll never know. 

“Only people I like.” he admits offhandedly, crouching to wipe up some milk from the floor. He misses the way Leia smirks and nudges Luke in the ribs, and the quiet _“Leia!”_ that Luke hisses at her, his cheeks flushed. 

Jyn sees it, though, and feels a little more hopeful that maybe Bodhi can let himself _want_ something for once, and finally be happy. 

 

———— 

 

They all manage to meet up for band practice after their classes and work, most nights- it’s exhausting, but Bodhi isn’t about to get up on stage and look like an _asshole_ because they couldn’t be fucked to practice.

“I think we should do some of the new songs.” Kay insists one night, tapping out a random rhythm while they take a water break. Bodhi’s chest feels tight for a moment, but it eases away as he takes a deep breath.

“Yeah.. yeah, we can do that. Any ones in particular?” he asks, cracking open another bottle of water. Cassian hums thoughtfully, fiddling around with the knobs on his bass.

“I like _Cardinals_ , personally.. maybe _Raindance_?” he suggests, and Bodhi and Jyn both nod in agreement. Kay twirls one drumsticks thoughtfully.

“We should open with _Raindance_.” he agrees, humming underneath his breath. “What about _Cigarettes and Saints_?”

Bodhi’s grips clenches around his water bottle, crumpling it, and Jyn looks at him with concern. “I’m not.. I’m not ready to do that one live, yet.” he manages, because he’s _not_ , that one is- it’s too _much_ , still, even though he _likes_ the song. Kay eyes him for a moment before he nods, not pushing him, and Bodhi breathes out with relief. 

“Let’s just work on _Raindance_ and _Cardinals_ , for now.” Cassian says diplomatically, and everyone mutters with agreement as they finish their water. Bodhi sighs and rakes his damp hair out of his face before he steps up to the mic again, closing his eyes as Kay counts them off, heart beating in time with the kick drum-

 

At the end of the night, they’ve managed to piece together a decent set list- Bodhi scratches a cover of _Milk It_ into the list because Kay and Jyn insist, but the rest of it is all their own material. It’s the longest set they’ve put together yet, and the first time they’ll be performing _Raindance_ and _Cardinals_ , which they all agreed would be the perfect closer.

Bodhi’s suddenly nervous, but he tries to tell himself it’ll be fine.

 

————

 

Bodhi’s sitting in cafe a few days before the show, scribbling lyrics into one of his notebooks instead of working on a composition piece for class like he _should_ be doing. He didn’t have to work today, but he came by to grab a drink and kill time before his soul-sucking music theory lecture- Jyn gives him an extra shot in his dirty chai out of sympathy, and he almost kisses her, because his day is going to _suck_. 

He’s scratching out the chorus he’s currently trying to work out- it sucks, he can’t figure out the right words -when the chair across from his is pulled out. Bodhi looks up from his notebook, and of _course_ its Luke sliding into the seat, because who else would it be?

“Hey.” the blonde greets him, sounding a little tired, his smile still warm but dimmed -Bodhi thinks all the classes must finally be catching up with him. Bodhi lifts his hand and catches Jyn’s eyes, then points to his own mug, then at Luke. She smirks and nods, going to fix up another dirty chai.

“ _Someone’s_ tail doesn’t seem as bushy anymore.” Bodhi grins, and Luke gives him a completely unamused look as he crosses his arms on the table and leans forward.

“Ha, ha.” he drones, and Bodhi snickers as he turns his attention back to his notebook. Luke lays his head on his arms with a sigh, and Bodhi tries really hard not to smile. “I like being busy, I’m just not used to having to balance so much stuff at once..”

Bodhi snorts and takes a sip of his chai, his brow furrowed as he scratches out another line of lyrics. “You get used to it, don’t worry.” he mutters, distracted as he churns through words in his head- he might just scrap this whole song, his brain clearly isn’t working well today. Luke sighs again, then jumps a little as Jyn suddenly appears beside him and sets the dirty chai down on the table.

“ _That_ should perk you up, sunshine.” she winks, patting him on the shoulder, and Luke thanks her with a smile as he sits up and drags the cup closer- there’s a simple leaf design, nothing fancy like Bodhi usually tries.

“That has espresso in it.” Bodhi warns, knowing Luke doesn’t like coffee, but he figured the kid could use the pick me up. Luke shrugs and takes a sip, his nose scrunching a bit in a way that Bodhi does _not_ find adorable.

“It’s not bad.. the chai hides most of the taste.” he admits, taking a larger sip, and Bodhi smirks.

“Better be careful, next you’ll be drinking four triples a day like Solo.” he jokes, and Luke shudders, shaking his head.

“I don’t know how Han’s not _dead_ from all that caffeine, it’s kinda scary.” he wonders, and Bodhi chuckles as he finishes off his own chai. 

“He’s someone’s case study waiting to happen, no doubt about that.” Bodhi smirks, and Luke grins as he shakes his head again. He’s already starting to look a little more chipper. Bodhi slaps his notebook shut with a sigh, because he knows he won’t be able to write anymore today, and he probably needs to leave for class soon. 

“You excited for the show?” Luke asks, watching as Bodhi shoves his notebook and textbooks back into his messenger bag. Bodhi shrugs one shoulder as he clasps his bag shut.

“I know _you_ are.” he muses, arching one eyebrow, and Luke grins at him unabashed. 

“Of course I am, I’ve been _dying_ to hear you play!” he says, his blue eyes bright once again, and Bodhi feels the back of his neck getting hot.

“We really aren’t that great.” he mutters, raking one hand through his hair- its a little tangled from walking around in the wind earlier, so he starts to gather it into a bun.

“That’s not what I’ve heard.” Luke replies, eyes following Bodhi’s fingers as they move through his dark hair, gathering it up and twisting it at the base of his neck. Bodhi doesn’t notice the way Luke bites his lip, too busy holding his hair in place with one hand while the other searches his pockets for an elastic.

“Heard from _who_?” Bodhi huffs out, almost laughing- he finds an elastic, using his teeth to stretch and snap it over his spread fingers before reaching behind him to secure his bun with it.

“Han, Chewie, Wedge.. even Lando.” Luke admits, sounding slightly distracted- his gaze is now trailing over the exposed line of Bodhi’s neck, eyeing the way a few loose strands of hair are failing against his skin. He bites his lip again, but Bodhi is busy leaning over to grab his bag, so he misses the very obvious way Luke is making eyes at him- because he’s an _oblivious idiot_ , as Jyn will point out to him later.

“ _Lando?_ Now I know you’re shitting me.” Bodhi laughs, standing and slinging his bag over his shoulder. Luke breaks out of his little trance, blinking, and damn near _pouts_ up at Bodhi.

“I am not! Everyone says you guys are great.” he protests, but Bodhi shakes his head, because Luke’s just being nice- no one gives a _shit_ about his dumb band, seriously.

“Whatever you say, kid.” he smiles, clapping Luke on the shoulder as he moves past him- Bodhi doesn’t catch Luke’s surprised look, because Bodhi’s never _touched_ him before. Bodhi waves to Jyn as he calls out. “Put Luke’s drink on my tab, Jyn.”

“Sure, Bodhi. Have fun at class!” she calls after him, busy steaming milk for someone’s order. Bodhi flips her the bird as he ducks out of the cafe- very clearly ignoring Luke’s protests in the background -to the sound of her laughter. 

If Bodhi happens to smile to himself on his walk back to campus, well- that’s no one’s business but his own.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a show! It's gonna be full of sweaty boys! I love sweaty boys.
> 
> Happy valentine's day! <3 Thank you so much for all the comments and kudos, it means so much to me that people are enjoying my trash fluff fic. ;-;


	7. A Raindance in Traffic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He can do this.
> 
>  
> 
> Spotify [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/user/attackedastoria/playlist/6QpNxvexiQPw3ApH5Z2pWe) of the show's set for your listening pleasure!

The day of the show finally rolls around, and Bodhi manages, miraculously, to not throw up when he wakes up that morning. He takes it as a good omen.

When he drags himself into the kitchen in search of coffee, Cassian proceeds to gently shove him into a chair and set a steaming hot bowl of menudo in front of him. Despite the anxious feeling in his gut, it smells heavenly- Bodhi knows Cassian must have started making it last night, because it takes forever, and he doesn’t make it very often. 

“To settle your nerves.” Cassian tells him, smiling, and Bodhi gives him a grateful smile in return before he digs in. His mouth burns from the heat and spice of it, and the texture of tripe isn’t something he doesn’t think he’ll _ever_ get used to, but damn if it doesn’t wake him up and settle the knot in his stomach.

“I don’t deserve you.” Bodhi mutters around a spoonful, sucking in air to try and cool his mouth- Cassian smirks and sets another bowl on the table as Kay comes in.

“Of course you do.” he assures, going to get two more bowls- Bodhi can hear Jyn banging around in the bathroom, now, she must have showered first. Kay is tapping away on his phone with one hand while he eats his menudo with the other, his brow slightly furrowed.

“Baze said we can come over to Kyber whenever we’d like, to set up and practice.” he informs them, snapping his phone shut. “I suggest we go early so I can assess the sound system properly.”

Bodhi snorts as he lifts his bowl up, drinking the last dregs of his soup straight from the bowl. “You know Artoo hates it when you fuck around with his settings.”

Kay bristles a bit, clutching his spoon tightly in his long fingers. “I don’t know why Chirrut hired him, he’s so _inefficient_..” he mutters, and Bodhi rolls his eyes as he gets up from the table to put his bowl in the sink. 

“You think everyone is inefficient compared to you, Kay.” he muses- Kay snorts in reply and goes back to eating. “What time do you guys wanna head over to Kyber, then?”

Jyn wanders in, still toweling off her dripping hair, and makes a thoughtful sound as she goes to sit at the table. “What time are we supposed to go on?” she asks, smiling as Cassian joins her and leaning over to kiss him.

“Eight sharp.” Kay replies briskly, giving them a sharp glare. “No PDA at the breakfast table, _how many times-_ “

“Let’s head over at five, then.” Cassian interrupts him, and Kay huffs before he turns back to his soup. Bodhi smirks and heads towards the bathroom, throwing his friends a messy salute as he backs away.

“Sounds good.” he says, and he’s surprised by how calm he feels as he goes to start up the shower- usually he’s an anxious wreck when they play, but he didn’t even have to pop an Ativan when he woke up, despite the knot his stomach had been in. He feels.. excited. Bodhi can’t remember the last time he felt excited like this.

As he ducks his head underneath the hot spray of water, he tells himself it has absolutely _nothing_ to do with Luke being there tonight.

 

—————

 

They spend most of the day checking over their gear and rearranging their setlist about twenty times- Kay wants to add another cover, but Bodhi won’t let him because their set is long enough already. He promises Kay that they can cover _Everlong_ next time, and the drummer seems somewhat mollified. 

Four-thirty thirty around, and Bodhi is about to start packing his guitar up, when Jyn suddenly grabs him by the arm and propels him towards his room. “Wha-? What’d I do?” he asks, bewildered, and Jyn clicks her tongue at him as she shoves him to sit down on his bed.

“We have have to get you _dressed_ , silly.” she tells him, like he’s a child, and Bodhi watches her with wide eyes as she starts to dig around in his small closet.

“ _Dressed_? What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?” he asks, glancing down at himself- well worn, slightly ratty Midtown shirt, his favorite pair of jeans that don’t have _too_ many holes in them -and Jyn snorts, still sorting through his closet.

“You know Luke is going to be there..” she says, and Bodhi glares at the back of her head, because of course that’s what this is about.

“Jyn, I’m just going to be playing, it’s not a fucking _date_..” he mutters, raking a hand back through his hair. “I’ll be a sweaty mess by the end of the night anyway.”

“ _Exactly_.” Jyn grins, yanking few things off hangers, and when she turns around, Bodhi finds himself with a face full of his own clothes. He glares at her again and she simply smiles serenely. He hates her.

“Put that on. Look, I’ll even turn around.” She smirks, turning her back to him again. Bodhi scowls but knows better than to protest, because once Jyn has an idea in her head, she _always_ gets her way. He strips quickly and changes into the clothes she picked out- clingy white tanktop, dark wash jeans that he thinks might actually be _Cassian’s_ because they fit him more tightly than he prefers to wear -and Jyn turns as she hears him finish. She eyes him with a sound of approval and makes him sit again so she can comb his hair, expertly pinning it into a bun similar to her own.

“You look hot.” she tells him, sounding pleased, and Bodhi rolls his eyes as he stands, because he _highly_ doubts that- Jyn shoves his favorite canvas bomber jacket into his hands and practically beams up at him.

“You _do_.” she insists, and Bodhi sighs, shrugging the jacket on.

“Whatever.” he mutters, feeling slightly ridiculous as he hopes that maybe she’s _right_ , and moves past her so he can go pack up his guitar. Cassian and Kay are already packed up and starting to drag their gear downstairs to Cassian’s van- both of them are dressed similarly to him, he notices, though Kay opted for a flannel shirt over a jacket. Cassian looks amused when he spots what Bodhi’s wearing, and winks at him.

“You look hot.” he echoes Jyn, and Bodhi grunts as he packs up his gear quickly.

“Your girlfriend is a menace to society.” he mutters, and Cassian grins like he’s the luckiest man in the damn world as he picks up an amp.

“I know.. isn’t she _amazing_?” he sighs, and Bodhi snorts, following him downstairs where Kay is already bitching about running late as they shove gear into the back of the old, rickety van. 

He _never_ should have introduced those two, honestly. 

 

————

 

They make it to Kyber a little after five, and Baze comes out to help them unload and carry their gear inside. 

“Gonna be a busy night.” he tells them, hauling two amps over to the stage with ease. “Chirrut’s been promoting the hell out of this show.”

Bodhi stares at him with surprise, almost fumbling as he sets his guitar down. “Really? Why?”

Baze shrugs as he walks off to grab some more gear. “He said he felt like this could be your ‘big break’!” he calls over his shoulder, and Bodhi highly doubts that, but he appreciates it nonetheless. It’s always nerve-wracking, but nice to play to a decent crowd.

Bodhi gets a little more nervous, and a little more excited, as they finish unloading the van and start to set up.

 

————

 

Bodhi is warming up his voice, going through his scales and singing a few snippets of songs, when Kay comes into the back room carrying several bottles of water.

“The show is sold out.” he informs them, like he’s talking about the fucking _weather_ , and Bodhi’s voice cracks so sharply on a note that he nearly chokes.

“It’s _what_?” he coughs, whirling around to face him- Jyn and Cassian both look surprised as well, bolting straight up off the shitty old couch they’d been sitting on.

“Sold out. They just started letting people in, Artoo told me while I was checking the soundboard.” Kay states, voice colored with distaste- Artoo had predictably told him to shove off and stop fucking with his settings, then. Bodhi stares at him, because what the fuck, they have never sold a show out before, _no one_ even knew who they _were-_

“Our first sold out show!” Jyn cries, laughing as Cassian sweeps her up into a hug and spins her around. He’s laughing as well, kissing her all over her face, while Kay looks at them with complete and utter disgust.

“I _told_ you people liked us! We should have made some more CD’s!” Cassian laughs, clapping Bodhi on the shoulder after he sets Jyn down- Bodhi doesn’t respond, still shocked, because how the _fuck_ did they manage to sell out a show-

Someone raps sharply on the door, startling Bodhi out of his shock- “You’ve got ten minutes!” Baze shouts, and Bodhi can hear the crowd, now, and he wonders how many of his friends are out there, how many people he knows, if _Luke_ kept his promise and is out there, bouncing around with his endless energy- it’s almost too much to think about. 

Bodhi closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, trying to steady himself- he feels Jyn’s small hand on his elbow, and Cassian’s larger one on his shoulder, and after a long moment, he even feels _Kay’s_ hand on his other shoulder, squeezing slightly. They’re in this together, he remembers. They can do this.

_He can do this._

 

—————

 

Kyber is fucking _packed._

Bodhi knows his eyes are wide when he steps out onto the stage, trailing after Cassian, but he can’t help it. He’s never played in front of so many _people_ before- people he knows, at that. People that are suddenly yelling and cheering for them when they hit the stage. It’s fucking surreal. 

He turns his back to the crowd, his hands shaking slightly as he shrugs his jacket off- it’s already hot in the small venue, with so many people jammed in -and someone lets out a sharp whistle as he throws it over an amp.

“Take it off, hot stuff!” someone yells- someone who sounds suspiciously like _Wedge_ , that fuck -and Bodhi feels the back of his neck burn as he slings his guitar on. Jyn is laughing as she slings her own on, and her eyes are sparkling, excited, as they meet his- he nods to her, taking another deep breath, and the crowd lets out another cheer as Kay tests his kit, banging out a quick, sharp rhythm, and then Cassian is testing his bass as he banters with the crowd, and then Jyn is letting out a squeal of guitar that makes someone in the crowd scream-

Bodhi sucks in a deep breath, lets out his own sharp squeal of feedback because it centers him, and then he turns, stepping right up to his mic and trying to project confidence that he certainly doesn’t _feel_. “Wow, uh.. hi.” he says, and there is more cheering and whistling and laughing- “So, uh.. we’re _Rogue One_ , and, uh.. thanks for coming out, this is our biggest show, like.. _ever_.” He pauses. “I’m guessing there weren’t any other good parties tonight?”

People laugh, and someone yells- “Next week, you better be there, asshole!” -is that fucking _Lando_ , Bodhi thinks, and yes, yes it is- he can see him standing with Han and Leia off to the side near the bar, and then Bodhi’s breath catches, because _Luke_ is there, grinning like a beacon and waving wildly as he jumps up and down to get his attention-

“Fuck off, Lando, your parties _suck_.” Bodhi huffs into the microphone, looking down at his guitar as people laugh again. “Anyway.. I’m gonna yell about my feelings for a bit, so enjoy, I guess.”

Kay takes that as his cue and counts them off, and Bodhi closes his eyes as he takes a step back from the microphone, and this part- _this_ part he can do. His guitar comes alive beneath his hands, and his entire body vibrates as the music, _his music_ rattles through his bones, and he steps up to the mic again and opens up that broken place inside his chest as he starts to _sing_ -

 

“ _I’m fantasizing about doing a rain dance in traffic, I’m fantasizing about a storm to wash me away.._ ”

 

————

 

Half-way through their set, Bodhi takes a quick break to grab a bottle of water Baze has so thoughtfully stashed on the stage- his heart is pounding and he’s dripping with sweat, and he feels _amazing_. 

“You guys havin’ a good time?” Cassian says into his mic, and the crowd shrieks happily in response, making him laugh- he’s shed his jacket, equally as sweaty as Bodhi, maybe more since doesn't stop moving and jumping around the stage as he plays. Kay has shed his flannel shirt _and_ his t-shirt, much to the delight of a few girls in the crowd, and Jyn was only wearing a cami to begin with because she’s smart like that, but her hair is becoming unraveled from its bun do to her own constantly jumping about. All of them look _completely_ exhilarated, even Kay.

“I wanna see a better pit this time, that last one was shit!” Jyn challenges into her mic, smirking as the crowd yells back- it certainly _wasn’t_ shit, Bodhi had barely been able to sidestep a crowd surfer than had been thrown onto the stage. 

Jyn starts a soft cue up for the next song, and Bodhi dumps the rest of his bottle of water over his head, shaking it out of his eyes as he stalks back to his mic- someone screams and whistles, and he _swears_ it sounds like Luke, that little _shit_ -

Bodhi slides his hands into place and kicks the cue into the full song, his voice feeling slightly raw as he opens his mouth and sings again- “ _Tossed around like sea glass and you rounded out my edges, I’ll feel better when the headaches go away!_ ” -as Jyn jumps backwards off one of their front-facing amps, nearly tumbling into Cassian, who laughs and uses his shoulder to keep her steady as they play. The crowd turns into a mass of jumping of shouting once again, another circle pit opening up- Bodhi can spot Chewie and Wedge, and is that _Han_ \- it is, and he nearly laughs the next words out, because _that_ is a sight to behold.

“ _I think I’m growing into someone you could trust!_ ” Cassian and Jyn join Bodhi for the chorus, and he really should have them harmonize more, they’re so _good_ at it- “ _I wanna shoulder the weight ’til my back breaks, I wanna run till my lungs give up.._ ”

Crowd-surfers tumble onto the stage during the next verse, screaming as they leap back into the crowd again, and then _Luke_ is suddenly right in Bodhi’s face as he gets tossed onstage, breathless and grinning like a madman- Bodhi can’t help it as he stares right into his _stupidly_ blue eyes, pushing his mic forward so their foreheads are almost touching as he sings. “ _But you deserved more from me, and I’m trying every day.._ ”

Bodhi shoves Luke back into the crowd after that, because Luke suddenly looks like he wants to _kiss_ him, and the look of surprise on his face when the crowd catches him makes Bodhi grin into the microphone. 

 

—————

 

Bodhi lets Cassian do the vocals for their cover of _Milk It_ , because he’s far better at it, and he wants to take a break and just play guitar for one song. The crowd eats it up, because everyone still loves Nirvana, apparently- or they might be eating it up because Cassian strips his _shirt_ off half-way through the song. It’s hard to tell. Jyn herself is torn between being aroused, and finding it absolutely hysterical.

After that, they only have _Cardinals_ left, which is good, because Bodhi’s throat is starting to hurt- they haven’t played a set like this in a long time, and two weeks clearly wasn’t enough practice time. He chugs another bottle of water and dumps the rest of it over his head again, because it’s fucking sweltering on stage, and catches Jyn’s eyes as she glances over at him. He nods, and Jyn bites her lip as she starts up a soft cue with Kay, keeping it rolling as Bodhi collects himself for a moment.

“So.. this last one is new, we haven’t played it live before.. sorry if it sucks.” Bodhi says into the mic as he finally turns around, and the crowd is shouting as Jyn and Kay roll the intro up louder. “Thanks again for coming, we really appreciate it..”

He steps back, joining Jyn and Kay as they launch into the full intro, Cassian joining them a second later, and then he’s stepping back up to the mic again, his chest aching as he opens his mouth to sing-

 

“ _Cardinal crashed into my window, I think he might die, I’ll plan him a funeral I’ll read his last rites.._ ”

 

Bodhi’s chest feels like it might split open as he opens up and _screams_ into the mic, pouring everything he has left into the words, because his words are all he has, really- all his failures, his pain, his hopes and dreams and secrets laid bare for everyone to see. He feels _raw_ , but he feels happy, too, because maybe, just maybe, he can finally feel some sense of fucking _closure_ if he does this right-

The crowd is going nuts, more-so than earlier, and after the first round of the chorus, people are starting to scream along when the second hits, grasping at the words, and that makes something hot prick at Bodhi’s eyes. He falters, slightly, but Jyn and Cassian are there, screaming just as strongly- “ _I swear I’ll never let you down again!_ ” -and it brings him back into the moment, and then all of them, even _Kay_ , are screaming the last verse in harmony- “ _We’re no saviors if we can’t save our brothers!_ ” and the crowd is echoing them as they repeat it, and it’s- it’s so fucking _perfect_ , Bodhi can barely breathe.

“ _I swear I’ll never let you down again!.._ ” he screams one last time, over the echo of his bandmates and the crowd, and he lets his guitar go slack against his body as he almost stumbles back from the mic. Bodhi’s heart is roaring in his ears, mixing with the sound of the crowd, and he blinks rapidly, vaguely aware that Cassian is thanking the crowd again, and he needs to- he has to _go_ -

Bodhi unslings his guitar and nearly drops it in his haste to get off the stage, slipping back to the small room they’d been in before, ignoring Jyn as she calls after him. He kicks the door shut and drops down onto the couch, holding his head in his hands- his chest is heaving, his body almost shaking from adrenaline. Playing a show has _never_ felt like that before and he doesn’t know what the hell to do, because he wants _more_ of it, like a fucking _drug_.

 

Someone knocks softly on the door, startling him- it opens after a second and Chirrut pops his head in, smiling. Bodhi sighs shakily and leans back, watching as Chirrut shuffles carefully into the room, guided by the long staff he likes to use as a cane.

“You’re not celebrating with your adoring fans.” he says, finding the couch and sitting down. Bodhi lets out a sharp huff of breath that isn’t quite a laugh, but close.

“I.. I needed a minute.” he tells Chirrut, raking a hand back through his- it’s wet with water and sweat, mostly undone from the bun Jyn had pinned it in. Chirrut nods and looks at him with a smile that is surprisingly soft.

“You did well, Bodhi.” he says, reaching out with one hand to grasp his shoulder. “You are destined for great things. _All_ of you are. I know it.”

Bodhi licks his lips, his mouth suddenly feeling dry. “I.. didn’t think I wanted this.” he admits, because he can tell Chirrut this, he trusts Chirrut. “I didn’t think I was _good_ enough for this.. good enough to _try_..”

Chirrut shakes his head, squeezing his shoulder with one strong hand. “You doubt yourself so much, Bodhi, in many things.. you are _deserving_ of the things you want. You deserve the chance to pursue them.” he gives him a little shake, a smile on his lips. Bodhi wonders if he’s talking about music, or something _else_. 

“Do you think we can do it?” Bodhi asks, his voice cracking slightly, throat raw from screaming. “ _Rogue One_? You think we can _be_ something?”

Chirrut chuckles as if Bodhi’s question is silly. “You already _are_ something. But I believe you can be more, if you’re willing to try.” he stares at him, unblinking. “I have faith in you, Bodhi. In _all_ of you.”

Bodhi feels the tightness in his chest ease, and he lets out a long, shaky breath as Chirrut pats his shoulder reassuringly. “I don’t know what the hell I’d do without you, Chirrut.. you and Baze have done so much for me.. for us..” he sighs, feeling calmer- Chirrut laughs and pushes himself to stand.

“We’ve only helped push you along your path a little faster, nothing more.. “ he dismisses, waving one hand about. Bodhi snorts as he climbs to his feet, and Chirrut reaches out to pull him into a hug.

“Ugh, so sweaty. Why are you young boys always so sweaty?” the older man complains, and Bodhi laughs as he hugs him back.

“Sorry.” he apologizes half-heartedly, and Chirrut waves him off again.

“Go on, get out of here.. your adoring fans are waiting.” he teases, and then pauses, a sly grin spreading over his face. “Say.. is that _Luke_ boy here? You should really introduce me, sometime, so I can see if he’s good enough for my favorite so-“

“ _Bye_ , Chirrut!” Bodhi says loudly, ducking out of the room as fast as he can, and Chirrut’s laughter echoes after him in the small hallway.

 

————

 

The crowd has thinned out quite a bit when Bodhi returns to the main hall- Cassian and Jyn are talking animatedly with a group of fans near the stage; Kay is talking with Chewie and Wedge, who are both helping him break down his drum kit. Bodhi slips over to the bar, hoping no one will notice him right away, because he needs a damn drink.

Baze must sense Bodhi’s thoughts, because he’s already pouring him a neat glass of whiskey when he reaches the bar- once again, Bodhi raises Baze Malbus up to eternal sainthood in his mind. Such a _beautiful_ man. Baze smirks at him as he snatches the glass up and takes a healthy sip, reaching over the bar to clap him on the shoulder.

“Nice show, kid.” he says, and then he’s off down the bar again as someone flags him for another drink. Bodhi sighs, taking another healthy sip of whiskey- he doesn’t drink much anymore, not with his meds, but one or two usually doesn't hurt him -and then jumps as another hand falls on his shoulder.

“Well, well! Was wondering where you snuck off to, kid.” Han greets him as he turns around, a grin on his face- he’s sweaty and disheveled, not a look he’s used to seeing on Han. “ _Hell_ of a show, you guys are really turning into somethin’.. that new stuff was on fire.”

Bodhi rubs the back of his neck and smiles a bit, feeling a little flustered- he’s not used to praise like that from Han, of all people. He shrugs and takes another sip of his whiskey. “Thanks.. decided to take this shit seriously, for once, I guess.”

“It showed.” Han smirks, leaning against the bar next to him and waving one hand. “Hey, Malbus! Let’s get another round here!” he yells, and Baze flips him the bird, making Han laugh. Bodhi snorts, shaking his head with amusement, and this is- this is fine, he can handle _Han_ and his bullshit-

“Bodhi!” 

Luke is very suddenly in front of Bodhi, with Leia trailing after him, and Bodhi nearly drops his drink in surprise. “Shit! Uh, I mean.. hey.” he says, and wow, that was _smooth_ , Bodhi, _really smooth_. Luke grins at him, and Bodhi can practically see the post-show energy vibrating off of him.

“You guys were _amazing_ , holy shit.. how do you not have some kind of record deal?” Luke exclaims, but Bodhi is far too distracted to reply as he stares at the younger boy. Luke is also a sweaty mess, which isn’t surprising, but he’s wearing a white and red ringer tee that is _clinging_ to his damp skin in all the right places, his golden hair is messy, curling from the heat and sweat, and his eyes are so _bright_ with energy- it’s not fucking fair, Bodhi thinks. He looks _delicious._

“- you are _so_ good at guitar, and your _voice_ -“ Luke is saying as Bodhi tunes back in, blinking- he doesn’t seem aware that Bodhi was just eyeing him like a fucking _steak_ , but Leia and Han are both smirking at Bodhi like he’s the dumbest puppy they’ve ever seen. 

“I’m really glad you came.” Bodhi cuts Luke off suddenly, clutching at his glass tightly- Luke stops and smiles at him brilliantly, shaking his head, and Bodhi’s not sure if it's because of the lighting, but he thinks Luke might be blushing a little bit.

“I promised you, didn’t I?” Luke tells him with a warm smile, and- Bodhi doesn’t flinch, this time, because maybe Luke is the kind of person who won’t break a promise. 

"You did.” Bodhi smiles, leaning back on his elbows against the bar- Luke is the one eyeing _him_ now, biting his lip as his gaze lingers on Bodhi’s bare skin, not used to seeing him in anything but ratty t-shirts and flannel. Bodhi _grudgingly_ admits to himself that he’ll have to thank Jyn, later. Han and Leia are leaning against the bar next to him, talking and trying not to look like they’re watching the two of them- and failing _miserably_ at it. Luke slides up to the bar on Bodhi’s other side, close to him, and Bodhi tries very, _very_ hard to play it cool as Chirrut’s words replay in his head.

_You are deserving of the things you want.. you deserve the chance to pursue them._

Bodhi shifts so he’s facing Luke, now, and gives him another smile. “Can I buy you a drink?” he asks, and Han snorts quietly behind him- he resists the urge to snap his leg back and kick him. Luke smiles a little ruefully this time and looks down at the bar top. 

“I’m underage.” he admits, and Bodhi almost flinches- shit, he knew Luke was younger, that’s right- but he recovers after a moment and grins in what he hopes is a somewhat charming manner as he flags Baze down.

“You can have some of mine, I won’t tell.” he tells him, and Luke arches an eyebrow at him, his smile turning sly. “How old are you, anyway?” 

“Twenty.” Luke shrugs, and Bodhi relaxes a little, because that’s not _so_ bad, not as bad as eighteen at least. Baze wanders over to them and pours him another glass, one eyebrow arched curiously as he glances at Luke, who notices and immediately smiles at the big man. 

“You must be Luke.” Baze says suddenly, a slight smirk on his lips, and _oh no_ \- Bodhi goes rigid, staring at Baze with a pleading expression, _please don’t do this to me now, not when I'm actually feeling_ confident-

Luke looks surprised, but smiles again, arching one eyebrow curiously. “Yeah, how’d you know? I’m afraid I don’t know your name..” 

“Baze. I’m one of the owners.” Baze replies, still smirking at Bodhi, who is suddenly regretting the surge of confidence he had. 

“Oh! It’s nice to meet you, this venue is great.. wonderful acoustics.” Luke grins, charming and polite as ever. Baze flicks his gaze between Luke and Bodhi several times, still smirking, and finally nods. 

“Cute.” he mutters, walking away without another word- Luke looks confused, and Bodhi promptly snatches his glass up and downs about half the whiskey in one go. This was a terrible idea, he thinks. _Terrible_. He tries to think of an excuse to flee, before fucking _Chirrut_ decides to show up, god forbid, why did he think this was a good idea- 

He is immediately distracted as Luke grabs his wrist, pulling the glass from Bodhi’s lips and towards himself- and Bodhi watches, entranced, as Luke leans in to take a sip, looking at him from beneath his surprisingly long lashes. He pulls back, _still_ holding on to Bodhi’s wrist, and Bodhi _stares_ as Luke licks a drop of whiskey from his lower lip. 

_Oh, no_ \- an alarmed, yet aroused part of Bodhi’s brain thinks - _that was really hot._

Luke smiles at him, slow and coy, and Bodhi thinks he might need to reevaluate his thoughts on Luke Skywalker being some wholesome sweet angel sent from the heavens, because this kid knows _exactly_ what he’s doing. Fucking _hell_. 

“That’s not too bad.. a little strong.” Luke says, still smiling, and Bodhi swallows hard as he watches him take another sip. He can hear Leia and Han _snickering_ behind him, and once Luke releases his wrist, he quickly tosses back the rest of the whiskey, enjoying the burn in his throat. 

“You get used to it.” Bodhi somehow manages to say, and he’s honestly surprised he’s still capable of forming words, because Luke is leaning in _far_ too close to him. He darts his eyes around, looking at anything but Luke’s face, and Cassian, bless his heart, waves to get his attention. 

“Shit, I need to go finish packing up.” Bodhi says quickly, setting his glass down. Luke leans back, looking disappointed, but smiling in an attempt to cover it. 

“Oh, yeah.. sorry, didn’t mean to keep you.” Luke apologizes, and Bodhi shakes his head, pulling out his wallet to flip a twenty onto the bar for Baze, even though he’ll just return it later, now matter how much Bodhi insists. 

“You didn’t.” he tells him, smiling as he meets Luke’s eyes again, and Luke smiles back so warmly that Bodhi’s breath almost hitches, and he needs to go, he has shit to pack up and he’s _tired_ , but- 

“You wanna go grab some pancakes when I’m done?” he asks quickly, before he can talk himself out of it- Luke blinks at him before his entire face lights up like a damn _christmas tree_ , and Bodhi already knows his answer. 

“I _love_ pancakes!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, no, Luke's hot. What do, Bodhi?
> 
> All lyrics are from The Wonder Years, once again. I do not own these hot jams.
> 
> Spotify [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/user/attackedastoria/playlist/6QpNxvexiQPw3ApH5Z2pWe) of this chapter's setlist is now available!


	8. Any Way You Want It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> C'mon, sharing is caring!

 

 

They end up heading to Maz’s Diner, since it’s only a few blocks away, and it’s always open. 

Bodhi trails behind everyone else on the walk over, shoving his hands into his pockets as he watches Luke mess around with Wedge and Han, all of them trying to trip or shove each other into lampposts or parking meters, because they're idiots like that. Leia is talking with Chewie and Kay about something, while Cassian and Lando appear to be having some sort of heated discussion about bass guitars, if Cassian’s hand gestures are anything to go by. He doesn’t see Jyn, and his brow furrows for a moment before he feels an elbow nudging his side- Bodhi jumps a bit, and glares down at the short girl, who grins up at him in reply.

“Why are you moping around back here?” she asks, hooking her arm through one of his comfortably. “Shouldn’t you be flirting with Luke some more?”

Bodhi feels the back of his neck heat up. “I _wasn’t_.. “ he sighs, trailing off, knowing it’s stupid to lie to Jyn, because she can always tell. “I think I’m going to have a nervous breakdown. I have _no_ idea what I’m doing, I don’t do this kind of shit, Jyn..”

Jyn scoffs and squeezes his arm, giving him a little shake. “You are not, stop that. What did I tell you? You’re allowed to be happy.”

Bodhi doesn’t say anything to that, because he still isn’t sure if it’s true. He watches as Wedge grabs Luke in a headlock, ruffling his hair, and the way Luke laughs as he tries to twist away from him makes Bodhi’s heart beat a little faster. 

“Luke is _hot_.” he says, suddenly, as if only just realizing it. Jyn looks up at him, her eyebrows nearly in her hairline as she tries very, _very_ hard not to laugh at him.

“Yes?.. I thought we established this weeks ago.” she says, sounding amused, and Bodhi shakes his head, almost on the verge of panicking, because yes, he knew Luke was _cute_ , but tonight had made him realize-

“ _Empirically_ hot.” he insists, an edge to his voice, and Jyn looks thoughtful for a moment before she nods in agreement.

“Yes, I suppose..” she concedes, looking at Bodhi as though worried for the state of his well being. “Is that a problem?”

It is suddenly very much a problem for Bodhi, especially after that little stunt Luke pulled at the bar, because- “I’m _not_.” he states, shaking his head. “I mean, I’m not bad looking, but what the _hell_ would someone like Luke want with _me_..”

Bodhi stops walking, because Jyn has stopped walking, and is looking up at him like she wants to punch him in the face. She takes a deep breath and moves in front of him, suddenly, and Bodhi stares at his best friend as she grabs his face very gently and draws him down to be more level with her. 

“Okay, this is weird for me, because you’re like my brother, but I need you to listen.” Jyn says, her voice soft but firm, and Bodhi nods hesitantly. Jyn smiles and talks very slowly, as if Bodhi is a child she’s trying to teach an important lesson to. “You are _very attractive_ , Bodhi. Seriously. I’m not joking when I say you’re hot, _Cassian_ certainly isn’t joking when he says it, I’m pretty sure he’d sleep with you given the chance. You slay at guitar and sing in a _band_ for Christ’s sake, that alone is sexy.” 

Bodhi blushes furiously, making a strangled sound in his throat, because what the _hell_ , but Jyn continues. “I know you seem to think you’re not good enough for anything, that you don’t deserve nice things, but you _do_.” she tells him sharply, squeezing his cheeks for emphasis. “I’m tired of watching you self-sabotage yourself, _everyone_ is, so stop it. You are my best friend, Bodhi, and I want you to be _happy_.”

Bodhi’s throat feels very tight all of a sudden, and Jyn is looking at him so _sincerely_ that it almost hurts. He manages to nod after a moment, because maybe she _is_ right, maybe _Chirrut_ is right, and he really does deserve to try to be happy, for once. He’s been floating through life, content with just existing for so long, but there is so much _more_ he's starting to realize that he wants from his life. Jyn smiles at him again, leaning up to kiss his forehead and patting his cheek like he’s her favorite train wreck, which he absolutely is.

“Now that we’ve cleared _that_ up..” she grabs his arm again, dragging him down the sidewalk. “You’re going to buy that sexy ray of human sunshine some pancakes, and _get his number_.”

Bodhi huffs a short laugh, his nerves suddenly feeling a lot less frayed, and lets himself be pulled along by the determined little hurricane that is his best friend. “Yes, ma’am.” 

 

————

 

Maz’s is moderately busy when they get there, but they all manage to find booths close together- Cassian, Jyn, Kay and Lando take one, Han, Chewie, Wedge and Leia take another, which leaves Bodhi and Luke with their own booth, of course. Bodhi wonders when, exactly, all of his friends decided to conspire together against him. Did they have a meeting? Was there a pie chart? Kay did love to make charts and graphs.

Bodhi shrugs his jacket off as he sits, and Luke grins as he joins him. “Never been here before.” he says, looking around curiously at all the retro decor and neon signs. Bodhi smiles a bit and flips the coffee cup in front of him right-side up, pushing it towards the edge of the table.

“Best breakfast food in town.” he tells him, settling back against the worn vinyl of the booth. “Maz cuts a deal for students if you show your ID, too.”

“Nice.” Luke mutters, still looking around- their waiter sweeps over to the table, suddenly, and gives them a tired but happy grin.

“Hey, Finn.” Bodhi greets, and Finn is already pouring him a cup of coffee from the pot in his hand before Bodhi can even ask.

“Hey, Bodhi! Sorry I couldn’t make it to the show, had to work, obviously..” Finn sighs, giving him an apologetic smile before he turns to Luke. “You want some coffee, sunshine?”

“Oh, no thank you.” Luke smiles, and Finn arches an eyebrow, flicking his gaze to Bodhi curiously as he sets the pot down on the table.

“Haven’t seen _you_ around before.. I’m Finn.” the waiter offers, and Luke grins, polite and friendly as always as he offers his hand.

“I’m Luke. I’m kinda new to the area, haven’t explored much outside of the campus..” he says, and Finn smiles as he shakes his hand, then proceeds to whips out his notepad. 

“In that case, welcome! Hope you’re likin’ it so far.” Finn smiles again before turning to Bodhi, pointing his pen at him. “Chocolate chip double-stack with hash browns?”

“Triple-stack, I’m _starving_.” Bodhi amends, and Finn smirks as he jots it down. Luke is glancing over the menu, brow furrowed slightly, as Finn turns to him next. Bodhi dumps an unhealthy amount of cream into his coffee before taking a sip, but he still makes a face, because _god_ , it’s as terrible as always.

“What about you, sunshine?” Finn asks Luke, tapping his pen against his notepad. “We’re famous for the pancakes, but everything is good, honestly.”

“Um.. can I get a double-stack with strawberries, and a side of bacon?” Luke asks after a moment, and Finn grins as he jots it down. 

“You sure can, buddy.” he says, eyes still on his notepad. “You two want anything else to drink besides water?”

Luke shakes his head, and Bodhi takes another sip of his coffee, grimacing. “Tell Poe his coffee is still shit, and he should be _ashamed_ of himself.”

Finn laughs and tucks his notepad back into his apron. “Hey, at least Rey didn’t make it, hers is even worse..” he chuckles, and then he’s off to another table. Luke smiles as he watches him go before turning his gaze back to Bodhi.

“You come here a lot, then?” he asks, and Bodhi shrugs one shoulder, taking another sip of his terrible coffee.

“Once a week, usually, if I have the time.” he admits- Maz always had a booth open when he needed to wind down after late nights, and Finn or Rey always kept the shitty coffee coming. He doubts he would have survived his last round of finals without it.

“I’ll have to start coming, too.” Luke smiles, glancing around as he drums his fingers on the table. “It’s nice.”

Bodhi makes an agreeable sound, taking another sip of his coffee. “Where are you from?” he asks, suddenly, because he realizes he has no idea- Luke very obviously wasn't from Chicago. 

Luke snorts and leans back in his seat. “Arizona. Shitty little town called Tatooine. Nothing but desert and dead-ends.” he says, raking one hand back through his messy hair- Bodhi’s eyes follow the movement, slightly distracted.

“How lovely.” Bodhi responds dryly, setting his half-empty coffee down. “You’re a long way from home..”

Luke shrugs, looking down at the table. “Parents didn’t want me to go, but I got a full ride, so they couldn’t really argue with me. Although my _dad_ tried to..” he mutters, something dark passing across his eyes before vanishing quickly. He shrugs again, and smiles when he looks up to meet Bodhi’s eyes. “I’m glad I got out of there. You from Chicago?”

Bodhi shakes his head, drumming his own fingers against the table. “Suburbs. Jedha, it’s about forty minutes outside the city.” he explains, and Luke nods, looking curious.

“You have any brothers or sisters?” Luke asks, and Bodhi smiles- this is fine, this kind of slightly awkward, getting to know each other better kind of thing. He’s not sure why he was so nervous, before.

“Younger sister.. her name’s Satiya. She’s traveling abroad in Europe right now, much to my mother’s despair.” he smirks, reaching for his coffee again, and Luke grins. “Are you older than Leia, or?..”

“Oh, we’re twins.” Luke laughs, and Bodhi blinks, because that he didn’t know- he leans over a bit, looking past Luke towards the booth where Leia is sitting, laughing at a joke Wedge is making. They don’t look anything alike, in Bodhi’s opinion. Luke smirks, as if reading his thoughts. “Not identical. Obviously.”

“Obviously.” Bodhi agrees with a chuckle, settling back against his seat. “She get a full ride to Columbia, too?”

“She got hers first, actually.” Luke admits, shrugging one shoulder. “She told me to apply, I didn’t think I’d get in, but.. here we are.”

“Here we are.” Bodhi nods, smiling as he takes a sip of coffee. “Eating pancakes at midnight, after I snuck you a drink at a bar. I’m a _terrible_ influence.”

Luke laughs, loud and bright, and gently kicks Bodhi under the table. “Oh, yeah, _so_ terrible.. bet you do this to all the poor, innocent freshman.” he teases, and Bodhi smirks at him from over the rim of his mug.

“Only the ones I _like_.” he admits, mouth feeling just a little dry, and Luke’s eyes widen a little bit before he leans forward with another one of those coy smiles that drive Bodhi absolutely _crazy_.

“Oh yeah? And just how many others are there?” Luke’s voice is definitely teasing, now, and Bodhi swallows hard as he meets his _impossibly_ blue eyes.

“You’d be the first, actually.” he mutters, and Luke looks surprised for a moment before that coy smile is back, one of his hands slowly inching across the table towards one of Bodhi’s-

“Pancake time, cutie pies!” Finn interrupts them, and Luke quickly snatches his hand back into his lap- Bodhi knows that both of them are red in the face, but Finn doesn’t seem to notice as he starts setting plates down.

“Strawberry double-stack with bacon for you..” he sets a plate in front of Luke, piled with more strawberries than _Bodhi_ has ever gotten- there’s even a smiley face drawn in whipped cream on top, and Luke grins with delight as he looks at it. 

“Aaaand a chocolate chip triple-stack for my good buddy, here..” Finn grins, setting Bodhi’s plate down- there’s a big heart drawn in whipped cream on top, with the words _‘fuck u’_ written in the middle of it in chocolate syrup. Because Poe is a fucking _child_. Bodhi looks up at Finn, who is trying not to laugh, completely unamused.

“Tell Poe he can _blow me!_ ” Bodhi raises his voice on the last part, leaning towards the kitchen- he hears a faint reply of _“Name the time and place, buddy!”_ , before Finn and Luke both start cracking up. 

“Everyone’s a _fucking_ comedian..” Bodhi mutters, cutting viciously into his pancakes as Finn leaves, still giggling a bit. Luke is biting his lip, trying very hard not to grin as he cuts into his own pancakes. 

“You have some interesting friends..” he muses before shoving a forkful of strawberries and pancake into his mouth- the noise of appreciation he makes is _slightly_ indecent, in Bodhi’s opinion. 

“Mortal enemies, you mean.” Bodhi snorts, shoving a forkful of pancakes into his mouth and making his own little noise of appreciation, because as much as Poe’s coffee sucked, his pancakes were _heavenly_. 

Luke snorts another laugh, and the two of them lapse into comfortable silence as they eat- Bodhi really was starving, he forgot how much energy it took to play a show. Finn swings by to refill his coffee, and when Bodhi looks up to grab it, Luke is staring at him with a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth. “What?”

“You’ve got a little-“ Luke smiles, almost playfully, and then he’s reaching out, towards Bodhi’s face- Bodhi holds his breath as Luke wipes a smear of chocolate off the corner of his mouth with his thumb, and then proceeds to stare as the younger boy draws his hand back and _licks it off_. 

_Oh, no_ \- that alarmed voice from earlier echoes in Bodhi’s brain - _stop being so hot._

Bodhi swallows hard and manages to smile. “Thanks.” he says quickly, promptly returning to shoving food into his face, so he doesn’t have to deal with how _stupidly attractive_ Luke is. Luke smirks and does the same without commenting, which Bodhi is eternally grateful for.

 

————

 

After they mostly finish with their pancakes, Luke draws Bodhi into conversation about music- they like a lot of the same bands, though Luke’s taste seem to run a little more poppy, which is fine, Bodhi can appreciate a good poppy punk jam. 

“You _seriously_ don’t like New Found Glory?” Luke sounds incredulous, his hands spread out on the table as he leans forward. Bodhi shrugs, smirking a bit.

“Not a fan, honestly.” he admits, draining the rest of his coffee. He’s never going to sleep, tonight. Luke looks exasperated as he leans back, tapping his fingers against the table.

“Not even _Sticks and Stones_?” he insists, and Bodhi grins, shaking his head- Luke looks cute like this, all flustered and appalled. He likes it.

“Nope.” he answers with an unrepentant smile, and Luke groans, dropping his head back against the booth. Bodhi laughs, ready to call him a drama queen, when Finn suddenly appears at their table and sets one of Maz's famous strawberry sundaes down in between them. 

“Compliments of the pretty, yet scary brunette two tables down.” he grins, setting two spoons down. “Enjoy, gentlemen!”

Bodhi whips his head around, and sure enough, Jyn has a shit-eating grin on her face as she waves her fingers at him, like she isn’t the _worst fucking friend_ in the universe. Cassian gives him a thumbs up, his eyebrows waggling up and down, and Bodhi thinks that he might just kill the both of them in their sleep. It’d be easy. Kay would probably help him.

Luke is laughing as Bodhi turns back around, already picking up a spoon. “Man, I feel so appreciated since meeting you guys.” he teases, scooping up a big bite, and Bodhi sighs as he picks up his own spoon, because fuck it- he loves ice cream.

“It _starts_ with sundaes and lattes, but it evolves into meddling and making your life hell, so be prepared.” he warns, and Luke grins. Bodhi goes right for the cherry, but Luke’s spoon blocks his, and they fight over it for a minute- _“You son of a-“ - “C’mon, sharing is caring!”_ \- before Bodhi lets Luke have it, glaring at him. Luke smirks in triumph, his lips red in a way that is _absolutely_ distracting, and Bodhi steals the rest of the whipped cream in retaliation. 

“Hey!” Luke protests, and then they’re fighting over the rest of the strawberries, the bowl sliding back and forth as Bodhi curses and Luke laughs- neither one of them are aware that several people are watching them, smiling at how adorable they are. Jyn and Leia both have smiles wide enough to split their faces, and even Han and Lando look amused as they peer over at them. Wedge, of course, is making incredibly inappropriate hand gestures as he whispers something to Kay, who looks vaguely ill. 

Bodhi lets Luke have the last strawberry, of course, but takes the last bite of ice cream for himself. “You are the _worst_ at sharing.” he declares, grabbing a napkin and scrubbing strawberry juice of out his beard. Luke grins, completely unabashed, as he leans his chin on one palm.

“I love strawberries.” he admits, and Bodhi snorts, shaking his head, but filing that information away for later. Finn drops by to grab the empty sundae dish, chuckling a bit as he flips their checks onto the table. 

“You guys have a good night.” he winks, and Bodhi quickly reaches over to snatch up Luke’s check before he can get to it.

“I got it.” he insists, ignoring Luke’s protests- everyone else is starting to get up, and he grabs his bomber jacket, tucking it under one arm as he rises.

“Bodhi, c’mon, you don’t have to, I can buy my own dinner..” Luke protests, sounding slightly flustered as he slides out of the booth and gets to his feet. Bodhi shrugs, pulling out his wallet as he heads towards the register where Rey is taking care of everyone else.

“My treat.. I’m glad you came out tonight.” Bodhi mutters, catching Luke’s eyes- Luke smiles after a moment, slow and warm, and shoves his hands into his pockets as he ducks his head almost bashfully. 

“So am I.” Luke admits, and Bodhi bites his lip, his heart certainly not racing faster as he steps up to the register. Rey gives him a bright smile as he hands her his card, her eyes dancing with mirth as they dart from him to Luke, and Bodhi wonders how the fuck _everyone_ knows. Is there a neon sign over his head? Did Jyn send out a memo?

“Have a good night, guys, come back soon!” she tells them after Bodhi signs his receipt, adding a hefty tip for Finn as usual. Bodhi smiles and tosses Finn a wave over his shoulder as they file out of the diner- everyone groups together on the sidewalk, Han and Lando both lighting up cigarettes as they mill around and chat. It’s chillier out, now, with fall finally beginning to blow in, and Bodhi notices Luke shiver a little, reminding him that he’s from some backwater desert town that probably doesn’t _have_ fall.

“Here.” he offers, holding out his jacket as the group starts to walk back towards campus- Luke protests yet again, and Bodhi rolls his eyes, shoving it into his hands. “Seriously, desert boy, put it on.”

“Desert boy, _really_?” Luke scoffs, but he relents, slipping Bodhi’s jacket on. “What about you, aren’t you gonna be cold?”

Bodhi shrugs, because it is chilly, but he runs pretty warm and he grew up in the midwest, so it doesn’t particularly bother him. Compared to -20 degree windchill, this is downright _pleasant_. “I’m fine, don’t worry about it.”

“If you’re sure..” Luke trails off, smiling now, and Bodhi thinks that he has absolutely _no right_ looking that good wearing his beat up jacket, no right at all. Jyn, arm in arm with Cassian, glances back at them and grins for a moment before snuggling closer to her boyfriend’s side. Bodhi shoves his hands into his pockets and glares at the back of her head.

The walk back to campus is a bit short for Bodhi’s taste, considering how much he’s enjoying Luke’s warm presence and conversation at his side, now. Everyone pauses on the corner near campus, mingling around and talking for a bit more before they start to split off and go their separate ways.

“Thanks for the jacket.” Luke says, starting to slip it off his shoulders, but Bodhi stops him.

“Keep it.. the dorms are still another block away. You can give it back later.” he says quickly, and Luke smiles widely as he settles the jacket back into place.

“Oh.. thanks. I’ll bring it by the cafe.” he offers, kicking one foot against the pavement as he looks up at Bodhi from beneath his lashes- the lamplight is casting golden shadows on his face in a way that is _entirely_ unfair, and Bodhi feels his heart start to pound again, because he wants to- he _really_ wants to-

“Oh!” Luke interrupts his thoughts, patting his pockets, suddenly. “Shit..” he turns, reaching out towards his sister. “Hey, Leia, do you have a pen?” he asks, and Leia rummages around in her purse for a moment before tossing one to him. He grins as he catches it, uncapping it with his teeth, and Bodhi goes still as Luke grabs his arm and starts to _write_ on the underside of it.

“Here.. “ Luke smiles, capping the pen when he’s finished- he’s written his _phone number_ on Bodhi’s skin, and it tingles for some reason. “You should call me, you know.. if you wanna hang out some more.” 

Luke’s looking at him from beneath his stupidly long lashes again, all coy smiles and bright eyes, and Bodhi has to swallow hard a few times before he can answer. “I.. yeah. Yeah, I will.” he manages to get out, because yes, he _definitely_ will, and Luke smiles happily, giving Bodhi’s arm a squeeze before he steps away.

“Goodnight, Bodhi!” he calls, joining up with Leia and Wedge, who are waiting for him. Wedge elbows him, grinning like a madman- "About time, I thought one of us would need to hold your hand!" -and Luke shoves him good naturally as Leia laughs and they begin to walk towards the dorms. Luke glances back at Bodhi, grinning, and Bodhi stares after them for a moment longer before turning and raking both of his hands back through his hair. He lowers his arm, staring at Luke’s number, and then he’s grinning, because-

“He gave you his _number!_ ” Jyn cheers, suddenly, jumping on Bodhi’s back and almost toppling him over. He grabs at her legs, steadying himself, and Jyn slings one arm around his neck, the other one punching into the air. “You didn’t even have to ask! _Get it_ , Bodhi!”

“ _Get_ it, Bodhi!” Cassian echoes, punching both fists into the air with a grin, and Bodhi realizes he has the most _ridiculous_ friends ever. Kay looks extremely unamused as Cassian attempts to jump on his back, but to his credit, he crouches lower and hoists his friend up with ease. 

“Yes, yes, get it Bodhi, congrats on the jailbait.. Can we go _home_ now?” Kay complains, already starting to carry Cassian down the street- Bodhi chuckles and follows after him, shifting Jyn’s weight on his back as she giggles in his ear.

“I’m proud of you, Bodhi.” she whispers, hugging his neck tightly, and Bodhi smiles, because if he’s being honest- he’s proud of himself, too.

_I deserve to be happy._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, look, Bodhi is starting to realize he can _want_ things without feeling guilty about it. Progress! Such progress! I'm also glad to introduce everyone to Maz's Diner, get ready for more of that in the future.


	9. Help Me Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guess I'll have to practice more.

 

 

When Bodhi wakes up the next morning, his body aches and his throat is sore, but he’s in a surprisingly good mood. He catches sight of the slightly faded writing on his arm- Luke’s number -and grins a little. He secured it in his phone as soon as he got home last night, of course. Rolling over, he snatches his phone off the nightstand and pulls up his contacts, tapping out a quick text message.

 

_To: Luke_  
_Don’t forget my jacket today._  
_-B_

 

Bodhi snaps his phone shut and rolls out bed, his muscles protesting- he grabs a towel and heads straight for the shower, because he feels gross and sore from the show, still. The hot spray soothes the ache between his shoulders, thankfully, and he feels much better once he washes off the dried sweat from last night- with cinnamon roll scented soap this time, where does Cassian even _find_ this stuff?

Once he’s finished, he scrubs his hair as dry as he can get it and changes into boxers, a _Brand New_ shirt and his favorite pair of jeans. Bodhi picks his phone up as it buzzes, flipping it open with one hand as he grabs a flannel shirt from his closet, and grins down at the screen.

 

_From: Luke_  
_I can’t keep it? It’s way comfier than mine. :p_

 

Bodhi smirks and taps out his reply- _I will hunt you down and find you if you don’t bring it back_ -as he heads into the kitchen. Jyn is making breakfast today, eggs and pan-fried toast with avocado, and she grins over at him from the stove.

“Sexting this early?” she teases, and Bodhi rolls his eyes as he flops down at the table.

“Shut up.” he tells her without any heat, and Jyn smile as she turns back to the stove. Cassian brings Bodhi a mug of tea with honey and lemon it, which Bodhi appreciates, because his voice feels rough.

“You going to ask him out on a date?” Cassian inquires, sitting across from him with a curious smile and sipping his own tea. Kay is nowhere to be seen, so Bodhi assumes he must have left for a class already. Bodhi snorts and shrugs one shoulder, taking a sip of the tea, which is wonderfully soothing to his throat.

“I don’t know.. I haven’t really dated since high school, not since..” he trails off, frowning a little- he didn’t want to think about that, not anymore. He didn’t want to feel _guilty_. Cassian reaches over and squeezes one of his hands with a reassuring smile.

“There’s no rush, you know. Go at your own pace.” he says, patting his hand and leaning back as Jyn sets two plates on the table- over easy for Cassian, sunny side up for Bodhi. She pats his shoulder with a smile before returning to the stove.

“Cass is right.. I know we tease you a lot, but take your time.” she tells him, and Bodhi hums in acknowledgement as he picks up a piece of toast and drags it through the yolks of his eggs. Jyn returns to the table with her own plate- scrambled eggs with far too much black pepper, in Bodhi’s opinion. She steals a piece of Cassian’s avocado, who simply rolls his eyes and forks two more over onto her plate, pressing a kiss to her temple. 

Bodhi’s phone buzzes again, and he shoves a piece of toast and egg into his mouth so he can grab it, flipping it open one handed as his other hand reaches for his tea.

 

_From: Luke_  
_That a threat or a promise? ;)_

 

Bodhi can feel the back of his neck getting hot, unable to stop himself as he starts to grin, because wow, Luke is a _terrible_ flirt- a fucking _winky smiley_ , really? Jyn watches him, amusement in her bright eyes, as he taps out his reply. 

 

_To: Luke_  
_Bring me my jacket or I’m never making bunnies in your lattes again._

 

Bodhi has barely set his phone down before it’s buzzing again.

 

_From: Luke_  
_Omg fine!! :( :(_  
_I better get two bunnies for this you’re so mean_

 

Bodhi snorts out a laugh, snaps his phone shut without replying, and quickly shovels down the rest of his breakfast so he can head over to the cafe.

 

————

 

Luke shows up at the cafe about an hour after Bodhi’s shift starts- he’s wearing a very retro, _very_ yellow jacket that would look obnoxious on anyone else, but he somehow manages to pull it off. Bodhi smirks at him as he approaches the register.

“Oh, look, you found your own jacket.” he observes, already punching up a chai into the register- Luke rolls his eyes playfully and sets his bag on the counter, unzipping it so he can pull Bodhi’s neatly folded jacket out.

“Well _someone_ wouldn’t let me keep this perfectly worn-in one..” Luke laments, and Bodhi arches an eyebrow as he takes it back- there’s a faint hint of Luke’s cologne clinging to it, and damn if he doesn’t want to bury his nose into it- he _doesn’t_ , but he really wants to.

“It’s my favorite jacket, I meant it when I said I’d hunt you down.” Bodhi stashes it under the counter, and Luke almost pouts as he hands Bodhi the cash he pulls from his wallet. 

“Promises, promises..” he sighs, shaking his head- Bodhi gives him a look as he hands him his change, which again is promptly dumped into the tip jar, and goes to start his latte. Jyn is smiling and shaking her head as she finishes up a mocha for another customer, and Luke waves at her with a friendly smile, which she returns.

“Hey, are you guys going to Lando’s party next week?” Luke asks them suddenly, and Bodhi nearly drops the milk he’s steaming as he whips his head around.

“What did I tell you about Lando’s parties?” he says a little sharply, and beside him, Jyn scoffs.

“They aren’t _that_ bad, Bodhi.. Cass and I were thinking about going.” she says, leaning over the counter to pass the customer their drink. “You should come, it’ll be fun.”

Bodhi opens his mouth to protest, because that is not his idea of a good time, but Luke is leaning over the counter with an almost pleading look on his face. “ _Please?_ It’ll be fun, Lando said it’s not going to be a huge one or anything! You gonna make me go to my first college party alone?”

Bodhi takes one look at Luke’s face and he knows he’s going to go, of course- to keep Luke out of trouble, if for no other reason. “Fine.” he sighs after a moment, going to finish Luke’s latte- he makes two bunnies in it this time, and Luke laughs happily when he presents it to him. 

“We’ll have fun, I promise.” Luke grins, clearly excited, and Bodhi shrugs one shoulder.

“We’ll see.. thanks for bringing my jacket back.” he says, smiling, and Luke smirks at him as he picks up his latte.

“I’ll find a way to steal it back, you know.” he threatens playfully, and now Bodhi is the one smirking as he plants his hands on the counter and leans forward, because if Luke wants to play _this_ game-

“Good luck, _Skywalker_.” Bodhi’s voice is low, and still rough from singing, and that must do something to Luke, because he stares at him and bites his lip as his cheeks redden ever so slightly.

“You’re _on_ , Rook.” he accepts the challenge, backing away and pointing at Bodhi playfully. Bodhi simply grins and pushes away from the counter, going back to work as Luke retreats to his usual corner. 

Jyn observes the entire exchange with a look of complete and utter happiness, and dares to hope that maybe Bodhi is finally going to get what he deserves.

 

————

 

Cassian flops down beside Bodhi on the couch, later that week- Bodhi glances up from his laptop, currently working on something for his composition class, and arches an eyebrow at him. 

“We should rent some studio time.” Cassian tells him, and Bodhi’s fingers freeze on the keyboard. He blinks before turning his head, and Cassian is smiling at him, one eyebrow arched as if waiting for his protests, but-

“We should.” Bodhi agrees, resuming his typing, and Cassian stares at him with surprise for a moment before he grins.

“I know a guy, he’ll give us a good rate. I figure we should at least get a decent EP out, instead of our shitty Garageband rips..” he says, and Bodhi snorts softly, squinting a little as he focuses on the screen.

“How do you _always_ know a guy?” he huffs, and Cassian grins again, clapping him on the knee. 

“Just lucky, I guess.” he muses, and Bodhi doesn’t buy that for a second, but whatever- he knows better than to question Cassian and his _connections_. 

“Find out when Jyn and Kay are free, and how much it’ll cost.. let me know.” he mutters, and Cassian leans over to kiss his cheek and give his hair an affectionate ruffle.

“You got it, boss.” he teases, watching him for a moment- when Bodhi glances over at him again, Cassian’s smiling in that soft, crooked way that makes his eyes look warm. “You’re really ready to do this, aren’t you?”

“I don’t know if I’m _ready_ , but.. I think we should try.” Bodhi admits, sighing a little as he scrubs a hand over his beard. Cassian nods and shoves himself to his feet, wandering towards the kitchen to get dinner started.

“I think we’re ready.. it’s gonna be great, Bodhi. Just wait.” he says over his shoulder, and Bodhi smiles as he turns his attention back to his laptop, because for once, he agrees with Cassian.

 

————

 

Bodhi’s laying in bed, struggling to get back to sleep- another nightmare, for some god forsaken reason, he wishes he was _over this bullshit_ -when his phone buzzes quietly on the nightstand. He snatches it up and flips it open, surprised- it’s almost one in the morning.

 

_From: Luke_  
_You’re probably sleeping, but I can’t sleep, so.. just wanted to say I’m excited about the party next week. :)_

 

Bodhi smiles, feeling the tightness in his chest suddenly ease, and rubs a hand over his slightly blurry eyes before replying.

 

_To: Luke_  
_I can’t sleep either.. party should be fun. Jyn won’t shut up about it._

 

Luke replies before he can even set his phone down, and he squints at the bright screen as he flips it back open.

 

_From: Luke_  
_Hey, you wanna go to the diner?_

 

Bodhi stares at his phone for a moment- he has a class at eight, and even though his Ativan has kicked in, he still can’t get back to sleep-

 

_To: Luke_  
_Yeah.. sure. I’ll meet you there in 15._

 

Bodhi realizes this probably isn’t the _best_ idea, but what the hell. He grunts as he rolls out of bed, trying to be quiet as he struggles into a pair of jeans and snatches a dark gray hoodie off his desk chair, not bothering to put on a shirt as he zip it up. His hair is probably a sleep-rumpled mess, but he doesn’t care, pulling his hood up to cover it as he slips out of his room and grabs his keys and wallet quietly. He doesn’t bother to lace his chucks after shoving them on, and avoids stepping on the creaky floorboard by the door as he slips out and locks it after him. 

 

————

 

Luke’s waiting for him outside Maz’s, looking about as disheveled as Bodhi is, but he smiles when he spots him coming, shoving his hands into the pocket of his obnoxiously yellow jacket.

“Hey. Sorry for the spontaneous offer, but..” Luke shrugs, and Bodhi smiles a bit, shaking his head.

“Don’t worry about it.. not like I was sleeping, anyway.” he reassures him, and Luke smiles again as they duck inside and head for a booth- the diner is mostly empty at this time, with only a few other patrons. Finn and Rey aren’t working, but Maz is sitting at the mostly empty counter, rolling silverware into napkins. She looks up and smiles at them, adjusting her thick glasses as she gets up.

“Bodhi! Haven’t seen you come in this late in a while..” The tiny woman says, coming over to them as they slide into a booth. “I miss your sweet face, come see me more!”

Bodhi chuckles out a quick apology, and Luke looks amused before Maz suddenly turns her sharp eyes towards him. “And who is _this_? Where do you keep finding such cute friends?” she asks, and Luke blushes a little as he offers her a smile.

“I’m Luke, miss..” he trails off, arching eyebrow, and Maz laughs a little as she pats his hand.

“ _Miss_ , how cute.. call me Maz, I own this dump.” she says, leaning her elbows on the table as she smiles warmly. Luke is grinning, now, and Bodhi can’t blame him, because Maz is quite the lady.

“Well then, you’ve got the best strawberry pancakes I’ve ever had, Maz.” Luke smiles charmingly, and Maz laughs as she pats his hand again, turning to look at Bodhi.

“I like him.. bring him back more. And your tall friend, with the beard!” she scoffs, and Bodhi grins, knowing she’s referring to Chewie, who does his best to avoid coming in when Maz is there, because Maz is an awful, _awful_ flirt.

“I’ll let Chewie know you’re thinking about him.” Bodhi assures her, and Maz grins before straightening up and crossing her arms over her chest.

“What can I get you boys, then?” she asks, and Bodhi turns his head towards the bakery display that he can’t fully see from his current position.

“Pie sounds good.. surprise me.” he shrugs, and Maz grins before turning to Luke, who shrugs and smiles.

“Same, thank you.” he tells her, and Maz chuckles as she leaves. Luke shakes his head, eyes sparkling with mirth even though he’s tired. “She is.. something.”

“Oh, yeah.” Bodhi agrees, chuckling a little as he leans his head back against the worn vinyl of the booth. “Why couldn’t you sleep? Stressed about a test or something?”

Luke snorts, shaking his head. “I wish.. my roommate snores like a chainsaw sometimes, its terrible.” he grumbles, and Bodhi snickers a little, not missing his days in the dorms at all. Luke arches an eyebrow at him. “What about you?”

Bodhi bites his lip for a moment, running through several lies in his head, before deciding he doesn’t give a shit, because it’s _Luke_. “Nightmare.” he shrugs one shoulder, looking down at the table. Luke frowns a little, looking concerned as he leans across the table a bit.

“You okay?..” he asks him quietly, and Bodhi is a little touched as he looks up and meets Luke’s eyes- he genuinely _does_ care. It makes him feel warm- he knows Luke is a good person, it's easy to tell by the way he treats people, but it still tugs at something in his chest.

“I’ll live.” he says, giving Luke a lopsided smile. Luke still looks a little concerned, and Bodhi can see the hesitation in his eyes before he reaches across the table, not _quite_ brushing his fingertips against’s Bodhi’s.

“You sure? If you need to talk..” Luke trails off, still quiet- Bodhi nods, biting his lip before he moves his hand, covering Luke’s fingers with his own, hesitantly. He think he hears the younger boy’s breath catch for a second before Luke is leaning forward, mouth open like he wants to say something-

“Here you are, my boys!” Maz chooses that moment to interrupt- Bodhi and Luke both jerk their hands back quickly as Maz sets two slices of pie on the table, along with a nearly over-flowing strawberry milkshake. Bodhi blinks, then turns to stare at the older woman suspiciously as she smirks.

“The milkshake is compliments of Poe, of course.” she tells them, and Bodhi whips his head around towards the counter- Poe grins at him through the kitchen window, winking and giving him a _thumbs up_ , and Bodhi feels a muscle under his eye twitching. 

“Tell him I hope his raging case of herpes clears up soon.” Bodhi mutters, and Maz laughs brightly as she sets two straws and two long spoons down on the table.

“Will do.. enjoy!” she calls, going back to the counter, and Bodhi sighs as he scrubs a hand over his face. Luke is staring at him with one eyebrow arched, trying and failing to keep a huge grin off his face.

“Do you _always_ get so much free stuff?” he asks, laughing as he drags his pie closer- a huge slice of strawberry pie, Bodhi notes. Bodhi glances down at his own, and is slightly mollified that Maz at least gave him french silk- she knows him well. 

“It seems to be a recent development..” Bodhi mutters before shoving a huge bite of pie into his face- he groans just a little, but to be fair, Maz makes amazing pie. Luke echoes his sentiment as he takes a bite of his own, and Bodhi smiles a little. “Maz makes the best pies.”

Luke nods emphatically in reply, too busy with his pie to talk, and Bodhi busies himself doing the same to his own pie- it’s gone far too soon for his liking, and he sighs as he pushes the plate away. He picks up a straw and shoves it onto the milkshake spitefully- Poe’s a _dick_ , but he’s a dick that makes good milkshakes, so its not like Bodhi isn’t going to drink it. He picks up a spoon, going for the cherry again, but of _course_ Luke snatches up his own spoon to block him.

“Oh, _come on_ , you took it last time!” Bodhi complains, their spoons clacking together as they fight for it again- Luke scoops it up with a triumphant grin and Bodhi rolls his eyes. “You are such a _brat_ , oh my god..”

Luke smirks and leans forward, one eyebrow arched as if he’s offended. “I am _not_ a brat.. here.” he offers, holding his spoon out teasingly, and Bodhi quickly leans forward to snatch the cherry into his mouth before Luke can change his mind.

“Still a brat.” he mumbles through a mouthful of cherry, feeling just a little bit silly when he realizes that he just let Luke _feed him_ , but Luke is grinning as he leans back and dips his spoon back into the milkshake.

“You’re so mean to me.” he sighs, eyes bright and playful- Bodhi scoops up his spoon and promptly steals all the whipped cream again in response.

“Hey! And _I’m_ the brat?” Luke laughs, leaning forward to try and steal some back, but Bodhi shoves it onto his mouth before he can, getting it all over his beard in this process. 

“Totally the brat.” Bodhi insists, wiping his face with his sleeve- Luke shakes his head, smiling, and Bodhi doesn’t feel _as_ silly this time when they both lean forward to finish the milkshake like a pair of kids from a stupid romcom movie. Luke gently kicks his foot beneath the table a few times, like he's a _thirteen year old girl_ , and Bodhi does not find it absolutely adorable, and _certainly_ doesn't do it back.

 

————-

They talk for a while longer after that- about music, about Tatooine, about Jedha, about bullshit -and when Maz drops their checks off, Luke snatches them up before Bodhi can.

“My turn!” he grins, and Bodhi rolls his eyes but doesn’t protest as they slide out of the booth. Maz meets them at the register, her eyes damn near twinkling behind her thick glasses as she cashes Luke out, but doesn’t make any comments aside from demanding that they both return soon, and bring Chewie with them. Bodhi catches Poe giving him another thumbs up as they leave, and flips him off on his way out.

“Thanks for meeting up with me..” Luke says as they start to walk back towards campus, looking over at Bodhi with a smile. He smiles back, shrugging one shoulder.

“Anytime.. I like hanging out with you.” he admits, because he does, he _really_ does- Luke smiles wider and looks down at the sidewalk as they walk in comfortable silence for a minute, and Bodhi wonders if he should say anything else- if he should _ask_ him if- 

Luke brushes his fingers against Bodhi’s, suddenly, and Bodhi looks over at him quickly- Luke is trying not to look at him, but his fingertips brush against Bodhi’s _again_ , and he gives him an almost shy, sideways look from the corner of his eye-

Bodhi swallows hard, then grabs Luke’s fingers the next time they brush against his, tangling them together, and Luke bites his lip to try and hold back the huge grin that threatens to erupt across his face.

Bodhi’s heart is pounding, but he doesn’t let go of Luke’s hand as they walk- his finger’s aren’t quite as long as Bodhi’s, and they aren’t as rough, but his skin is so warm, and Bodhi finds himself brushing his thumb across Luke’s knuckles gently. Luke pushes a little closer to his side as they near the campus, squeezing his hand, and Bodhi squeezes back with a smile as they come to a stop on the corner. 

“You should text me if you can’t sleep.” Luke tells Bodhi, turning to face him, still holding on to his hand. Bodhi quirks a smile, his eyes darting down to their joined hands- he somehow doubts he’ll have trouble sleeping after _this-_ "I will." he says, biting his lip, because Luke is looking at him from beneath his stupidly long lashes again, smiling coy and sweet, and Bodhi has the _overwhelming_ urge to-

Luke leans in, suddenly, and Bodhi goes still, his eyes wide- Luke’s lips brush against his cheek in a soft kiss, and he’s smiling as he pulls away, his own cheeks a little red in the soft glow of the streetlamp. 

“Sweet dreams, Bodhi..” he murmurs, squeezing his hand once before releasing it, and Bodhi watches, heart pounding, as Luke turns and heads back to the dorms. 

“G’night, Luke..” he manages, still a bit wide-eyed as he stares after him, watching as the younger boy disappears around the corner. Bodhi stands there for a minute, closing his eyes as he replays the feel of Luke’s lips on his skin in his head- soft, slightly chapped, _warm_. He swallows hard and turns as he opens his eyes, unable to stop the grin forming on his face as he starts to head back to his apartment.

Bodhi is pleasantly drowsy when he gets home and crawls into bed, still grinning ever so slightly as he presses his face against his pillow. He picks up his phone after a moment, tapping out a quick message, and hits send before burying himself underneath his blankets.

 

_To: Luke_  
_Try aiming a little more to the right, next time._

 

————

 

When Bodhi wakes up for class in the morning, he immediately snaps his phone open, still rubbing sleep out of his eyes, and smirks at Luke’s reply.

 

_From: Luke_  
_Sorry.. guess I’ll have to practice more. ;)_

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My soft boys. ;-;
> 
> Milkshakes for everyone! We're gettin' to the good stuff, now!
> 
> Thank you sooo much for all the comments and kudos, I live for it. <3


	10. Electric Feel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you don't want to be my Ken doll, don't volunteer.

Bodhi, unfortunately, doesn’t see Luke as much as he’d like, the week leading up to Lando’s party- he’s busy with class and work, and Luke is bombed by an influx of tests and performance work. They settle for warm smiles and briefly squeezing each other’s hands when they do see each other at the cafe, and Luke continues to send Bodhi flirty texts with _far_ too many smiley and kissy faces.

 

_From: Luke_  
_Are you going to wear your hair down on Saturday?_

 

Bodhi, currently working on his tech homework, arches an eyebrow as he taps out a reply.

 

_To: Luke_  
_Do you *want* me to wear my hair down on Saturday, Mr. Obvious?_

 

Bodhi’s phone buzzes almost immediately after he sets it down, and he rolls his eyes- he swears Luke’s phone is permanently attached to his hand.

 

_From: Luke_  
_Maybe. ;)_

 

Bodhi smirks and snaps his phone shut without reply before returning to his never-ending homework.

 

————

 

Friday night, Bodhi finds himself sitting in the kitchen, reading the latest issue of Rocksound while Jyn trims his hair for him. She cuts her own, as well as Cassian’s, and she isn’t half bad at it, so he trusts her not to completely butcher his hair. 

“You’re going to look so hot for your date tomorrow.” Jyn teases, carefully clipping a few split ends and adding just a touch of layering. Bodhi snorts, still reading his magazine as bits of hair fall on the towel draped around his shoulders.

“It’s not a date, it’s just a party..” he mutters, though he knows it certainly feels like a date, after that late night at the diner last week. Bodhi’s been doing his best not to get nervous, because he doesn’t know exactly what he’s doing with Luke, but he knows what he _wants_ , he just has to get the guts to ask him for it-

“Mhmm..” Jyn hums, clearly not believing him. Bodhi rolls his eyes, flipping a page in his magazine as Jyn runs her fingers through his hair thoughtfully. “You’d look cute with an undercut..”

“Nope.” Bodhi says quickly, pushing himself up out of the chair and brushing hair off of himself. Jyn pouts up at him before going to fetch the broom and dustpan.

“Oh, come on.. I bet Luke would like it.” she smirks, starting to sweep up his hair. and Bodhi gives her a look as he pulls the towel off his shoulders.

“Maybe next time.. _maybe_.” he tells her, and Jyn grins in triumph as she sweeps up all the hair on the floor. Bodhi sighs as he rakes his fingers through his hair- a little shorter, but feeling a lot nicer now that it was cleaned up. “Thanks, Jyn.”

“Anytime, Bodhi.” she smiles, dumping the mess into the trash and going to put the broom away. “Do you need me to dress you up, tomorrow? It worked so _well_ , last time..”

Bodhi groans as he escapes towards his room, ignoring her teasing laughter. “ _No_ , Jyn, thank you, Jyn..”

 

————

 

Bodhi _does_ end up letting Jyn dress him, because he’s a pushover, and he’s nervous because he actually wants to look good for Luke.

Jyn ransacks his closet, holding up several items of clothing against his body- she’s wearing a pretty black dress herself, more dolled up than she usually gets -and shaking her head as she tosses them aside. “You have to have something in here..” she mutters, pulling out a few more things. Bodhi sighs, feeling like this is suddenly a stupid waste of time-

“Aha!” Jyn cries, pulling out a dark gray v-neck shirt and holding it up to his chest- it’s worn, and probably a size too small for him now, but she nods. “Perfect. Put this on.” 

Bodhi sighs and strips his shirt off as she turns back to his closet, pulling on the v-neck- it’s a little snug across his chest and his arms now, but the rest fits fine. Jyn tosses another pair of dark wash jeans at him, which again, he believes are _Cassian’s_ , and starts sorting through his collection of jackets.

“Where’s your.. ah, here it is!” she declares, pulling out his leather flight jacket, the one covered in old band patches that he doesn’t wear as often anymore. Bodhi struggles into the jeans, which again, fit far tighter than he’s used to, and rolls his eyes.

“Jyn, it’s just a party at Lando’s, seriously..” he mutters, but Jyn clicks her tongue and shakes one finger at him.

“You asked for help, and I’m helping! Why did you stop wearing this, it’s sexy..” she admonishes, setting the jacket on the bed before stooping down to pick through his shoes, next.

“Because it fits kind of tight, now..” Bodhi scowls, barely catching the boots that Jyn tosses over her shoulder. “Boots, seriously?”

“If you don’t want to be my Ken doll, don’t volunteer.” Jyn smirks, rising to her feet- Bodhi slips the boots on, wondering just what the hell he’s gotten himself into, and Jyn looks him over with a sharp eye, humming softly to herself. “Not bad, not bad.. put the jacket on.”

Bodhi gives her a dull look, but obeys, shrugging the worn jacket over his shoulders. Jyn steps up to him, tugging it into place and smoothing it out with a smile. “It’s not tight, it’s just actually _fits_ you.. you’re too used to wearing old t-shirts and baggy flannel, now. Why’d you stop dressing so nicely?”

“Because I value my extra twenty minutes of sleep in the morning..” Bodhi mutters, wincing as Jyn flicks one of his ears before she fixes his hair, leaving it loose, the one thing he’d requested tonight. Truthfully, he’d stopped because he didn’t think anyone actually _cared_ about what he looked like, but now-

“You look hot.” Jyn interrupts his thoughts, nodding with approval. She takes his hand and drags him out to the living room, where Cassian is waiting, and presents him to her boyfriend with a flourish. “Hot, yeah?”

Bodhi does not blush as Cassian eyes him up and down, but it’s a near thing. “You look good, Bodhi.” Cassian smirks, nodding, and Jyn practically beams. “Nice job, _amor_. If he doesn’t get laid, we’re clearly doing something wrong..”

Bodhi does blush at that, and goes to snatch his phone, wallet, and keys off the table. “I hate you both. Honestly.”

Cassian pulls Jyn into his side with a grin and slaps Bodhi on the ass as they pass by, heading towards the door. “Let’s go pick up your boyfriend, we’re running late!”

“He’s not my- !” Bodhi debates saying fuck it to the whole night and crawling back into bed, but he counts to ten in his head before following after his friends. His friends, whom are the bane of his entire existence, god help him.

 

————

 

It’s chilly out, but not overly so, and the walk to Luke’s dorm gives Bodhi enough time to try and calm his nerves. It’s not a date, he keeps telling himself, _it’s not_ , it’s just a party. He thinks back to Luke holding his hand, to Luke’s soft kiss on his cheek, and yeah, okay- _maybe_ it’s a date, he realizes. 

When they get to the dorm, Bodhi can see Wedge and Leia already waiting outside, talking- Leia’s wearing a pretty white dress with a fluffy cardigan, her dark hair twisted artfully into a bun, and Wedge is wearing leather pants with a white shirt and a hideous burnt orange jacket- who _he’s_ trying to impress, Bodhi doesn’t know, but it should be amusing to watch. They both look over when they notice Bodhi, Cassian and Jyn approaching, and smile.

“Hey, guys.” Wedge greets, shoving his hands into his pockets as he leans back against the brick wall of the dorm. “Princess Sunshine is still putting his petticoats on, he’ll be down in a few.”

Jyn snickers, and Leia rolls her eyes as she elbows Wedge in the ribs- he simply grins, shifting his gaze over to Bodhi and eyeing him up and down. “Well, don’t _you_ look nice..”

Bodhi arches an eyebrow, shoving his own hands into the pockets of his jacket. “You look like you’re trying to join a biker gang, Antilles.”

Wedge scoffs, glancing down at himself. “Hey, _last time_ I wore these pants, you didn’t seem to mind..” 

Bodhi flushes at _that_ memory, and rolls his eyes. “Yeah, and I was also halfway through a bottle of tequila, so my judgement may have been a little impaired..” he drawls, and Wedge looks unimpressed.

“Whatever, you wanted my hot bod.” he leers playfully, and Bodhi groans, raking one hand back through his hair- Leia is looking between the two of them, incredibly amused, her eyebrows raised sky high.

“Did you two used to date?” she asks, curious, and both Bodhi and Wedge whip around to give her a horrified look, because that is just-

“No!” they shout, in unison, setting Jyn and Cassian off into a bout of laughter, while Leia looks even more amused, if possible. 

“Bodhi’s too nice for my tastes.” Wedge shakes his head, smirking, and Bodhi rolls his eyes as he crosses his arms over his chest.

“Wedge is too much of a dick for mine.” he drawls, giving Wedge a winning smile as the RA flips him the bird. 

“Oh, I got some _dick_ for ya- “ Wedge starts, laughing, but he’s cut off as the door to the right of them suddenly bangs open and Luke comes rushing out. 

“Sorry, sorry! Didn’t mean to take so long..” he apologizes in a rush- Wedge waves him off with a chuckle, clapping him on the shoulder as he pushes off from the wall.

“No worries, princess.. look, your prince is here to take you to the ball.” Wedge winks, giving Luke a gentle shove towards Bodhi, who is too busy staring at Luke to give Wedge the glare he _deserves_ -

Luke’s wearing that damn yellow jacket again, which isn’t surprising, nor is the black v-neck, but- he’s wearing leather _fucking_ pants, for fuck’s sake, where on _earth_ did he get those? From Wedge? Bodhi is far too hot, all of a sudden, even in the chill fall air, and it takes all the willpower he has to drag his eyes up to meet Luke’s face, and- oh, no. Luke is smirking at him, because he clearly caught Bodhi staring, and this entire night was a _terrible idea._

“Hey, Bodhi.” Luke greets him, his own blue eyes starting to wander with appreciation- someone wolf whistles behind them, and Bodhi’s money is on Cassian, because Cassian is a fucker like that.

“Uh.. hey. You look.. nice..” Bodhi manages to get out, which is an understatement, but he somehow doubts ‘fuckable, sinful, hot as fuck’ are appropriate in the current situation. Luke smiles, slow and coy, looking at Bodhi from beneath the golden fall of his bangs.

“Thanks.. so do you.” he replies, his tone implying he certainly feels the same way Bodhi does, and Bodhi is _very_ glad that he let Jyn use him as a Ken doll tonight.

“If you two are done eye-fucking each other, can we go now?” Wedge interrupts, one eyebrow arched, and Bodhi and Luke promptly snap out of it, slightly embarrassed as they go to join the rest of the group. Jyn is grinning like a cheshire cat as she looks at the two of them, and Bodhi shoots her a quick glare as they all start the walk over to Lando’s apartment.

Luke falls into step next to Bodhi, giving him a sideways look, and Bodhi stretches out his fingers to grab Luke’s hand without further prompting, because he _knows_ that’s what he wants- Luke blushes just a bit, looking down at the sidewalk. “I missed you.. I’m glad you came.” he murmurs, squeezing Bodhi’s hand, and Bodhi feels his heart jump.

“Yeah.. yeah, so am I.” he mutters, mouth feeling dry, and the smile Luke gives him makes Bodhi think that all the shit he’s going to get from his friends tonight will be absolutely worth it.

 

—————

 

Lando’s place is crowded, thought not as crowded as it usually is, pounding with music and colored lights- Han opens the door for them with a big grin and ushers them inside, looking slightly offended as Leia immediately slips out from under his arm and goes to greet Chewie instead.

“Wha- hey!..” he yells after her, scowling, then shakes his head as he closes the door. “Whatever, sister.. alright, guys, booze is in the kitchen, don’t fuck with the sound system, if there’s a sock on a bedroom door its occupied, and whatever happens in this apartment, stays in this apartment!” he informs them, grinning once again as he raises his beer. “If the cops come a knockin’ and you’re underage, get your ass out the fire escape, or I’ll kill ya. Have a good time!”

Bodhi rolls his eyes, because it’s the same damn spiel as always, but Luke laughs as he watches Han make a beeline right for his sister. “Well, this should be fun..” he says, looking up a Bodhi with a grin, and Bodhi quirks an eyebrow, because poor Luke has no idea.

“Uh huh..” he shakes his head, guiding Luke through the crowd with one hand on his back, towards the kitchen. Wedge has already disappeared, and Cassian and Jyn are probably going to fuck with the music despite the usual warning, because Cassian can’t help himself. A few people calling out to Bodhi in greeting, surprised to see him probably, and he gives a quick wave over his shoulder as he ducks into the kitchen.

“Don’t drink whatever is in the red cups unless you want to be carried home.” Bodhi tells Luke, who gives him a wide-eyed, amused look over his shoulder.

“Speaking from experience?” Luke grins, and Bodhi snorts as he goes over to one of the coolers to grab two beers.

“Just saving you the hangover.” he muses, smiling a little as he hands Luke one of the beers after popping the caps off. “Start off easy, trust me.”

Luke arches an eyebrow as he takes the beer, and Bodhi’s eyes are suddenly fixed on the way his lips wrap around the bottle when he takes a swig. “I _have_ gotten drunk before, you know..” Luke smirks, and Bodhi licks his lips before taking a swig of his own beer.

“Not on Lando’s jungle juice..” he mutters, guiding Luke out of the kitchen as more people press in. Bodhi’s not sure what to do next, he’s not much of a social butterfly, he used to come to parties just to get drunk enough to forget about his feelings for a few hours- 

“Hey, Bodhi! Get your ass over here!” Lando calls over the music, and Bodhi and Luke both turn- Lando’s sitting at a crowded table in one corner, waving at him, and one look at the table makes Bodhi smirk immediately.

_Poker._

Bodhi weaves his way over to the table, Luke trailing behind him, and Lando grins as he stands, reaching out to clap him on the shoulder. “I was wondering if your ass was gonna make it! Did Luke drag ya here?” he asks, chuckling as he slaps hands with the freshman. “Nice job, kid.”

Luke grins, taking a swig of his beer as he nudges Bodhi playfully. “Well, I didn’t really have to drag him.. I think he wanted to protect my virtue, honestly.” he teases, and Bodhi rolls his eyes as Lando laughs.

“You act like my apartment is a den of _sin_ , Bodhi!” Lando grins, and Bodhi arches an eyebrow, because that’s _exactly_ what it is, in his experience. “Speaking of sinning.. I’m gonna regret this, but you want in?”

Bodhi bites his lip as he looks down at the table, taking a thoughtful pull on his beer- he hasn’t played in a while, and several people at the table look _very_ nervous at the prospect of him joining, but- he glances over at Luke, who is the entire reason he came in the first place-

“You mind if I play a few games?” he asks, leaning close to Luke’s ear so he can hear him over the music. Luke bites his lip and looks at him from under his lashes, curious, and Bodhi can feel one of Luke’s fingers tracing over his hip, making him want to squirm-

“No, go for it.” Luke smiles, and Lando claps sharply, ordering people to shuffle around so they can make room at the table. Bodhi smirks, because this is going to be _fun_ and he could use the extra cash, and then Luke is pressing a light kiss to his jaw, against his beard, and he nearly drops his damn beer in a surprise.

“Have fun.” Luke says into his ear, eyes bright and mischievous, and Bodhi stares after him as he slips away into the crowd, suddenly wondering if he should just ditch the damn poker game-

“Sit your ass down, Rook, you can chase that tail later!” Lando laughs, shuffling cards, and Bodhi sinks into the chair offered to him, feeling hot all over. He swallows down the rest of his beer as Lando starts to deal, doing his best to push Luke and his _stupidly_ distracting mouth and leather pants out of his mind, because he has a _reputation_ to uphold.

 

—————

 

Three games later, Bodhi is 90$ and two packs of cigarettes richer, and Wedge is about to come over the table and _strangle_ him.

“I swear to god, Bodhi, you are a _cheating_ , cardshark little shit!” Wedge declares, throwing his hands up in disgust. Everyone else at the table groans and mutters with agreement, while Bodhi simply smiles and tosses a pack of cigarettes to Wedge in consolation.

“Hey, just because you don’t have a poker face worth shit..” Bodhi smirks, leaning back in his chair, careful not to displace his discarded jacket- Lando laughs, shuffling through the cards again, and Wedge points at Bodhi threateningly with the pack of cigs.

“Your ass is mine, Rook, it’s mine.” he promises, and Bodhi grins, reaching out to finish his second beer.

“Promises, promises, Antilles..” he mutters, setting the bottle down- he’s actually having a good time, he forgot how much he enjoyed playing, even if everyone else aside from Lando or Han was _shit_ at poker-

A pair of familiar arms are suddenly draped around his shoulders, and Bodhi goes still as he feels Luke rest his chin on the top of his head. “You done cleaning these guys out, yet?” Luke asks, sounding amused, and Bodhi bites his lip as he lifts one hand to grip and squeeze one of Luke’s arms.

“Probably.” he smirks, Lando laughing and Wedge glaring once again, and Luke shifts, leaning down to rest his chin on Bodhi’s shoulder instead.

“How much you win?” Luke grins, and Bodhi tilts his head slightly, eyeing him- he seems happy and relaxed, a little drunk but not too bad, so he’s been staying away from the jungle juice, at least. 

“90 bucks, a pack of Spirits, and all of Wedge’s remaining dignity.” he replies with a grin, and Wedge flips him the double bird from across the table. Luke laughs, warm and husky and far too close to his ear, and Bodhi resists the urge to shiver.

“Not bad.. you gonna play some more?” Luke chuckles, and Bodhi hesitates, because he really _should_ go spend some time with Luke-

“One more, then he’s all yours, Luke!” Lando calls over the table, starting to deal, and Bodhi rolls his eyes but nods. Luke smiles and presses a quick kiss into Bodhi’s hair- pausing briefly to inhale the scent of his shampoo- before he straightens up.

“Go get ‘em, tiger.” he winks, wandering away again, and Bodhi turns slightly to watch him go, because fuck, those _pants-_

“Head in the game, Rook!” Wedge calls, and Bodhi snaps his attention back to the table, grabbing up his cards as he fights he urge to blush. Wedge smirks, picking up his own cards, and arches an eyebrow as he leans forward. “What do you say we make this round interesting, hm?”

“How so?” Lando asks, eyes on his cards- everyone else has mostly bowed out at this points, so it’s just the three of them with a few spectators. 

“Well, Bodhi’s sufficiently cleaned me out, so let’s bet something a little more fun.” Wedge grins, flicking his gaze to Bodhi, who is suddenly wary, because he doesn’t trust Wedge at _all._

“I’m game.. what we wagerin’?” Lando chuckles, laying his cards face down on the table so he can light up a cigarette. Wedge leans back in his seat, taking a pull on his beer in a vain attempt to hide his grin. 

“Dares, baby.” he says, and Bodhi rolls his eyes, because honestly-

“What are you, _twelve_?” he groans, but Wedge is staring at him expectantly, and if he wants to play childish games, fine. “Alright.. if I win, you gotta hand over those pants and do a lap around the fountain in the courtyard. Both of you.”

Wedge scowls but nods after a moment, and Lando laughs, tapping his cigarette against the ashtray on the table. “Fine with me, but damn, it’s cold out.. “ he smirks, leaning back in his seat as he thinks for a moment. “I win, you two clowns gotta sing Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, like that one time at Han’s old apartment.. you can keep your shirts _on_ this time, though.”

Bodhi shudders at _that_ particularly memory, and so does Wedge- there is a reason Bodhi doesn’t drink tequila anymore -but they both nod in agreement. Wedge is smirking full out now as his eyes turn to Bodhi, and Bodhi suddenly thinks that this was a very bad idea-

“If I win, Bodhi has to ask sunshine to dance.. I don’t give a shit what you do, Lando, I’m just in this to get my dignity back and make Bodhi suffer.” Wedge grins, and Bodhi is going to _murder him_ , he’s already leaning over the table in preparation to strangle the life out of him, but Lando laughs, shaking his head.

“What a hardship.. alright, gentlemen, let’s get to it!” he declares, and Bodhi settles for glaring daggers at Wedge as he settles back into his seat- he is going to make that little shit suffer, if it’s the last thing he does.

Wedge winks at him over his cards, the bastard, and Bodhi decides he’s _really_ going to make him suffer.

 

———

 

Bodhi stares at the cards on the table, eyes wide, and cannot _believe_ this shit is happening to him. _Fuck._

Wedge, the fucker, is laughing hysterically, and Lando pounds the table with one hand as he joins him, head thrown back against the wall, and Bodhi is convinced that the two of them _planned_ this somehow.

“You cheated, you fucking- I don’t know _how_ , but you cheated, I swear to god, Antilles-“ Bodhi hisses, leaning over the table as his face burns. How had he lost? How? He had the perfect fucking hand, it’s not _possible-_

Wedge calms himself slightly, holding his hands up in an innocent gesture as he smirks at Bodhi. “Oh, _no_ , you have to dance with a cute boy that you like.. the _horror_.” he mocks, and Lando starts laughing again as he gathers up the cards.

“I think Wedge played you for the long con, my friend..” he teases, shuffling the cards between his fingers with a grin. “You gonna pay up, Rook?”

Bodhi opens his mouth to protest, but Wedge starts making chicken noises, like he’s fucking _ten years old_ , and Bodhi shoves away from the table in disgust- as much as he hates it, he never backs out on a deal, god help him, and it’s not like he doesn’t _want_ to be close to Luke, but-

“I’m going to get you back for this, Wedge, I swear.” he nearly growls, and Wedge smiles sunnily at him, giving Bodhi a salute as he turns towards the crowded living room.

“Don’t forget to grab his butt!” he calls after him, and Bodhi flips them both the double bird over his shoulder as they start laughing again.

_Assholes._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was brought to you by Wedge Antilles' leather pants. Thanks, Wedge.
> 
> I had to split this chapter into two parts because it got wayyyy too long, oops. I think you guys are gonna enjoy the next part, though..


	11. Juke Box Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You're welcome for the pants.

 

Bodhi stops by the kitchen, first, pouring himself a shot of whiskey, because he knows he’s going to need it.

He slams it back quickly, enjoying the burn in his throat- he can do this. _He can do this_. He’s danced before, and it’s just Luke, it’s not like- it’s not like Luke is stupidly attractive, drunk, and _wearing leather pants_ , or anything. This should be fine. 

Bodhi decides to take a second shot, his meds be damned, before he stalks back out towards the crowded living room.

 

———

 

MGMT is playing, which means Cassian has taken complete control of the sound system- Bodhi thinks he spots him dancing, well, _grinding_ , really, with Jyn in the crowd, but is too busy looking for Luke to really pay attention. He weaves his way through the press of bodies, heart pounding with the music, and turns as he hears Luke’s bright, familiar laugh.

Luke is leaning against the wall, grinning and laughing as he talks with a few people Bodhi recognizes- Hobbie, from his tech class, Ahsoka from journalism -and a few people he doesn’t. He’s holding a cup of something that Bodhi desperately hopes isn’t jungle juice, but he doesn’t seem much more drunk than before, so hopefully someone’s been keeping an eye on him. Bodhi feels unsure, all of a sudden, because Luke looks like he’s having a good time and he doesn’t want to interrupt-

Luke looks over and catches his eyes, and Bodhi’s mouth goes dry as he gives him a bright, beckoning smile and holds a hand out to him. “Bodhi! There you are..” he grins, and Bodhi moves forward, taking his hand with a smile.

“Hey.. sorry I took so long.” he apologizes, but Luke shrugs, pulling him far too close- with the angle he’s leaning at, Luke's now shorter than Bodhi, and the coy look he gives him from beneath his lashes is _absolutely_ unfair.

“You finish cleaning house?” Luke smirks, and Bodhi snorts, wishing that were the case- though he absolutely doesn’t mind as Luke rests one hand on his hip, toying with the hem of his shirt. Ahsoka is staring at them over the rim of her glass, eyes dancing, while Hobbie smirks and rolls his eyes, and Bodhi seriously wonders just what Luke has been talking about all night. 

“Something like that.. “ Bodhi mutters after a moment, digging the pack of Spirits out of his pocket and tossing them to Hobbie, who catches them with a surprised but grateful grin.

“You’re pretty alright, Bodhi.” Hobbie says, already ripping the pack open and pulling one out, and Bodhi rolls his eyes a little, declining as Hobbie offers him one. Luke and Ahsoka decline as well, and Ahsoka smirks as she sips her drink, tossing her long blue and white streaked hair over one shoulder.

“Thanks, but I’ve got some better stuff..” she winks, and Bodhi is slightly intrigued, because he knows Ahsoka used to get the _really good_ stuff- Luke blinks before arching an eyebrow, looking intrigued as well, and Ahsoka grins. “Meet me over by the couch in twenty if you want.”

Bodhi watches as she walks away, and he knows from the look on Luke’s face that they will absolutely be finding her in twenty minutes- he prays that this won’t be Luke’s first time smoking, because _god help him_ if it is. “You having fun?” Bodhi asks, turning his attention back to the blonde, and Luke smiles, nodding as he takes a sip of his drink.

“Yeah, everyone’s been pretty awesome.. “ Luke grins, absently trying to brush his hair out of his face- it falls right back to where it was, and Bodhi’s lips quirk, trying not to smirk. “Glad you’re back, though.. are you having fun? I know you didn’t really want to come in the first place..”

“I’m having fun.” Bodhi interrupts him quickly, because he is, he _really_ is, actually- Luke grins up at him brightly, his head bobbing a bit as the song changes, and Bodhi glances over his shoulder quickly, because this is a song he actually _likes_ \- sure enough, Cassian is over at the sound system, making ridiculously suggestive hand motions towards him and Luke. Bodhi flushes a bit, but he supposes he appreciates the encouragement, so _what the hell_ , he thinks-

“You wanna dance?” Bodhi asks, voice surprisingly steady despite his nerves, as he leans close to Luke’s ear so he can hear him. Luke stares at him for a moment, clearly surprised, before he quickly sets his cup down and reaches for Bodhi’s hand again.

“Of course!” Luke sounds absolutely _giddy_ , and Bodhi lets himself get pulled into the fray of drunk, happy couples in the middle of the living room, telling himself this is going to be _totally fine_ \- and then Luke is suddenly pressed up against him, all lean muscles and leather pants, and Bodhi’s brain short circuits just a _tiny_ bit. 

“I didn’t think you danced..” Luke says against his ear, voice far too breathy and pleased- Bodhi swallows hard as his hands go to Luke’s hips, sliding over the soft leather- he is going to _kill_ Wedge, he _knows_ Wedge gave these to him, fuck - and pulling him in just a bit closer.

“I don’t.” Bodhi admits, letting out a strained huff of laughter- Luke slides an arm around his waist, and Bodhi is feeling far too hot, suddenly- “Can’t bring a date and not dance with them, though..”

Luke bites his lip, trying in vain to hide how pleased he looks, but he can’t hide the blush that’s rising on his cheeks. “Well, consider me honored, in that case..” he murmurs, and Bodhi has to close his eyes as Luke tucks his face against his neck, because he smells _way_ too good and his hair is stupidly soft as it tickles at his skin. This is- this is-

_This is fucking fantastic_ , Bodhi’s brain decides, pulling Luke even closer- Luke seems to have a little more rhythm than him, so he’s more than happy to follow his lead, feeling a jolt of heat every time their hips press together. Bodhi decides to not let himself think about anything but Luke’s body pressed against his, the way Luke's hand is slowly sliding up his arm to grip his shoulder, the way Luke's cheek is suddenly rubbing ever so slightly against his, clearly enjoying the scratch of Bodhi's beard-

Bodhi exhales sharply, tightening his grip on Luke’s hips, because it’s fucking absurd how much he _wants him_ , all of a sudden. Luke pulls back ever so slightly, meeting his eyes with that half-lidded, coy look, a smile tugging at his distractingly pretty lips, and Bodhi licks his own lips before he leans in-

“You’re ruining my life, I hope you know that..” Bodhi breathes into Luke’s ear, and Luke practically shudders as Bodhi tilts his head to press a soft kiss to his jaw. His fingers clench in the back of Bodhi’s shirt as he lets out a husky laugh. 

“You ruined mine first.” Luke mutters, smiling as he tilts his head to brush his own lips against Bodhi’s cheek. Bodhi grins just a bit, because fuck, his heart is pounding but for once it’s in such a _good_ way-

A sharp wolf whistle startles him from his thoughts- Wedge dances by them with Leia, of all people, winking and making _incredibly_ inappropriate hand gestures. “Damn, look at the ass on that blonde!”

Luke curses and leans over to shove Wedge, and Bodhi slides his arms around his waist as the movement makes them stumble a little- Wedge and Leia both laugh, and Leia has _definitely_ been drinking if her red cheeks are anything to go by. Bodhi rolls his eyes, but smirks, because he’s in far too good of a mood to be bothered by Wedge’s shit at the moment- points for trying, though.

“Get outta here, asshole!” Luke laughs, turning slightly to flip Wedge the bird as he dances away with Leia, grinning like an idiot. “And keep your hands off my damn sister!”

“Yeah, yeah.. you’re welcome for the pants, dickweed, I told you they’d work!” 

Luke turns an absolutely becoming shade of red, and Bodhi laughs, because he _knew it._

 

————

Twenty minutes- and a few more dances during which Luke gets _very_ handsy -later, Bodhi finds himself on the couch with Luke sitting in his lap, Ahsoka and Jyn crammed in beside him, and Cassian, Lando, Wedge, and a few others gathered around as Ahsoka passes around a bowl of _really good stuff_. Bodhi’s already had one hit, and is getting ready to light up his second, which will be his last, because he knows his tolerance- Luke has had one, and that’s _all_ he’s getting, because he’s already a little giggly, and he’s had _way_ more to drink than Bodhi has.

“C’mon, I can handle another one!” Luke practically whines, and Bodhi snorts, shaking his head as he packs the bowl down with the lighter. 

“I am _not_ carrying you home.” Bodhi tells him again, lifting the pipe to his lips and sparking the lighter. Jyn bursts in to giggles beside him, and Bodhi is pretty sure she’s had three too many hits, but Cassian is the one who’s going to have to deal with _that_.

“Is he always this mean?” Luke leans over, whispering to Jyn in a very obvious way, and Jyn starts giggling again, which sets Luke off. Bodhi inhales and holds it with an effort, because he wants to laugh at how ridiculous they are, and passes the pipe back to Ahsoka, who snickers.

“Where’d you even find this kid, B? He’s great.” She smirks, starting to scrape the bowl out onto Lando’s coffee table. Bodhi exhales, coughing only slightly as his throat burns, and shrugs one shoulder. 

“He had the nerve to wander into my coffee shop, even though he _hates_ coffee.” Bodhi tells her, and Ahsoka laughs, shaking her head. Luke twists in Bodhi's lap to face him- Bodhi’s fingers clench on his own thighs, because Luke is _squirmy_ , and he needs to _stop doing that_ -and looks down at him with an arched eyebrow.

“ _He_ is sitting right here, you know.” Luke states, and Bodhi snorts, leaning his head back against the couch.

“I wasn’t aware.” Bodhi says dryly, bouncing his leg sharply- he laughs as Luke nearly topples over, catching himself on the back of the couch with a curse, suddenly pressed all that much closer to Bodhi. 

“I can move if you want..” Luke looks down a him with a smirk, eyes suddenly half-lidded, and Bodhi finds himself very appreciative of the view as he lifts one hand and rests it on Luke’s hip.

“You’re good.” he swallows, because yeah, Luke’s _very good_ , and both Jyn and Ahsoka snort beside him, trying to stifle their giggles. Luke grins, leaning down so close their forehead are nearly touching, one of his hands coming up to twirl a lock of Bodhi’s hair around his fingers-

“Hey, you guys wanna go get some pancakes?” Ahsoka asks suddenly, shoving her pipe back into her bag, and Luke and Jyn suddenly both sit bolt upright, their eyes wide, as if that is the greatest suggestion they have _ever_ heard.

“I love pancakes!”

 

—————

 

The party is starting to wind down anyway, so a group of them get together and decide to head over to Maz’s, because where else are they going to go? 

Bodhi is feeling pleasantly buzzed as he slips his jacket on when they head outside- he partook just enough to take the edge off his remaining nerves, but he’s still got his wits about him, thankfully. He’s mostly just glad Luke can _walk_ , because he wasn’t kidding when he said he wasn’t going to carry him home.

“You’re going to buy me pancakes, right?” Luke asks, grinning as he tucks himself against Bodhi’s side, one arm slung around his waist comfortably, like he’d done it a thousand times before. Bodhi snorts and throws his arm over Luke’s shoulders as they walk, surprised by how comfortable he is like this, and how not freaked out he is.

“You gonna put out if I do?” Bodhi fires back, completely dead pan, and Luke snorts out a laugh, ducking his head almost shyly before he looks at Bodhi with mischief dancing in his bright eyes.

“I was gonna put out either way, so..” Luke shrugs, and now its Bodhi’s turn to laugh, even as he feels the back of his neck getting hot- part of him thinks Luke isn’t _joking_ , but he tries to ignore that, because- yeah. _Yeah._

Behind them, Jyn, who is currently riding on Cassian’s back and watching them, bites her lip against the squeal that wants to escape her mouth, and flails her hand at Leia, who isn’t in a much better state from her position on Wedge’s back.

 

————

Bodhi and Luke end up in a booth alone together, once again, which doesn’t entirely surprise him, because Bodhi has realized his friends are _awful_ at being subtle. Maz isn’t there, but Finn and Rey are working, and Finn grins as he comes over to their table with a pot of coffee and two glasses of water.

“Well, hey there, cuties!” he greets, pouring Bodhi a mug of coffee after he flips the mug right-side up. Luke grins in return, and Bodhi smiles as he shrugs his jacket off.

“Hey, Finn.. you having a good night?” he asks, and Finn shrugs, setting the coffee pot down so he can whip out his notepad.

“About as good as usual, been kinda slow for a Saturday.. at least you guys are here, now.” he chuckles, turning and pointing his pen at Luke. “Strawberry double-stack, right?”

“Yes, please!” Luke laughs, impressed that he remembered, and Finn grins as he jots it down. “Can I get extra strawberries?”

“Oh, I’m sure Poe can manage that..” Finn smirks, then turns and points his pen at Bodhi, squinting. “Chocolate chip double-stack with.. extra chocolate sauce, tonight?”

“Caramel sauce, actually.” Bodhi decides, and Finn makes a noise of approval as he jots it down.

“Livin’ dangerously tonight, I see.. alright, I’ll go put that in for you guys.” he smiles, giving them a wink before he goes to wrangle the other tables. Bodhi picks up the cream and dumps an unhealthy amount into his coffee, as usual, as Luke quirks an eyebrow at him.

“You want some coffee with your cream?” he muses, leaning back to shrug off his own jacket, and Bodhi snorts.

“Poe’s coffee is terrible, I think battery acid might be an improvement..” he mutters, taking a sip— yep, still terrible. _Good old Poe._ Luke laughs and bites his lip, crossing his arms on the table and leaning against them.

“I’ll take your word for it.” He smiles, gently kicking at Bodhi’s foot, and Bodhi kicks back playfully as he takes another sip of his coffee to hide his smile. The diner is louder, now, with all their drunk friends packed into it, the noise buzzing pleasantly in his head- he still feels _good_ , and it’s strange, because he’s not used to it—

“Does that thing work?” Luke asks him suddenly, and Bodhi blinks, following Luke’s gaze to the old jukebox shoved up against one of the walls. Bodhi sets his coffee down, smiling a little as he digs his wallet out, and flips a few singles on the table.

“Yeah.. have at it.” he tells him, and Luke grins, leaning over the table to kiss his cheek quickly before he grabs the money and stalks towards the jukebox- Bodhi’s eyes follow him, and he bites his lip, because fuck, those _stupid pants—_

Someone whistles loudly right behind Bodhi, and of _course_ it’s Wedge— Luke flips him off without turning around as he starts to flip through the songs in the old fashioned machine. Wedge smirks, turning slightly in his booth, and Bodhi turns to look at him despite his better judgement.

“You’re welcome for the pants.” Wedge stage whispers to him, and Bodhi rolls his eyes, shoving at his arm despite the smirk that’s trying to tug at his lips.

“Shut up.. and for the love of _god_ , keep him out of your closet, it’s hard enough having to look at the awful shit you wear.” he retorts, and Wedge shoves him back with a laugh before turning back to his friends. Bodhi shifts, turning his eyes back to Luke, and he is _definitely not_ appreciating the curve of Luke's ass encased in black leather as he leans against the jukebox, _not at all._

_Rebel Rebel_ comes pouring out of the jukebox as Luke finally starts making selections, and Bodhi snickers into his coffee as Jyn almost shoots out of her seat with a predictable “Oh my god, _I love this song-_ “ before Cassian drags her back down into his lap with a laugh. Luke shoots her a grin over his shoulder, tapping one foot to the beat as he finishes selecting the rest of his songs. Finn swings by to refill Bodhi’s almost empty coffee, bopping his head as he bites his lip.

“Oh, man, we got _jams_ goin’ tonight..” Finn grins, and Bodhi smirks in reply, shrugging one shoulder. “You should bring sunshine around more, he’s fun.”

Bodhi glances over at Luke, momentarily distracted as he watches his hips swing with the music. “Yeah.. I’m sure you’ll be seeing more of us, don’t worry.”

Finn arches an eyebrow, looking back at Luke before turning to Bodhi again. “You two, uh..?” he trails off, waggling his eyebrow suggestively, and Bodhi feels his face heat, because he hasn’t really asked Luke, but-

“I think so?..” he mutters, not quite sure himself, and Finn snorts, shaking his head as he starts to move on to the next table.

“Dude, you better get on that, before someone _else_ does.” he says over his shoulder, and that is a thought that Bodhi doesn’t like at _all_. Luke finishes screwing around with the jukebox and joins him in the booth again, grinning- the diner’s even more lively now, and Bodhi is pretty sure he can hear Poe _singing_ in the kitchen-

“ _Please_ tell me you didn’t pick any Journey, or Cassian will get up on the table and sing.” Bodhi half-teases, because Cassian _will_ actually do that, and Luke smirks, shrugging one shoulder as he tosses his hair out of his eyes.

“Guess you’ll have to wait and see.” 

 

————

 

Bodhi gets his answer twenty minutes later when _Any Way You Want It_ comes on, and Cassian almost knocks his plate over as he climbs to his feet to stand on his seat and sing, gesturing for everyone to join in.

“ _She loves to laugh, she loves to sing, she does everything!.._ ”

Luke almost chokes on his pancakes, and Bodhi just grins as he throws his head back against Wedge’s on the booth, both of their voices joining Cassian’s, as is tradition.

“ _She loves to move, she loves to groove, she loves the lovin’ things!.._ ”

Finn spins Rey around in a twirl behind the counter as Poe slides out of the kitchen to join them, singing along far too dramatically as he uses a spatula as a mic, and Luke laughs so hard he almost cries, because _what the fuck has he done._

 

————

 

Poe sends them another strawberry milkshake once they finish their pancakes, because he’s a shit like that, but Bodhi doesn’t mind it too much this time, and if people want to keep giving him free shit, he’s more than fine with that.

He manages to swipe the cherry first this time, and Luke pouts until Bodhi smirks and offers it to him. “Here, brat..”

Luke leans forward with a pleased grin, and Bodhi definitely doesn’t watch the way his lips wrap around the spoon, because that’s not hot at _all_. “I’m not a brat!” he insists, his eyes bright, and Bodhi shakes his head with a smile before dipping his spoon back into the milkshake.

“Uh huh..” He hums, clearly disagreeing, and Luke kicks him under the table before proceeding to steal all of the whipped cream.

“Hey! That’s my move!” Bodhi protests, snatching the glass away from him, and Luke covered his mouth with his hand to keep from spraying whipped cream everywhere as he laughs. 

 

————

 

Finn only brings them one check this time, with a heart and a winky face drawn on it, because of _course he fucking does_. Bodhi snatches it up anyway, sighing noisily as he stands and shrugs his jacket back on. 

“Zero respect, after all the business I give them..” he mutters, and Luke laughs as he slips his own jacket on and climbs out of the booth. Everyone else is milling about around the register as Rey checks them out, a few people talking about hitting up a bar, which has zero appeal to Bodhi. He gives Rey a smile when its his turn, and cracks open his wallet- might as well use tonight’s poker winnings to pay. 

“Thanks for dinner, Wedge.” Bodhi smirks, handing Rey the cash, and Wedge flips him off as Luke laughs. Rey gives him his change with a smile, and Bodhi slips Luke a twenty, nodding towards the booth they’d been sitting at.

“Go leave that for Finn.” he says, and Luke darts off with a grin- when Bodhi turns, Rey is smirking at him knowingly, and he feels the back of his neck getting hot, because _why does everyone have to do this to him._

“He’s cute! Maz is making strawberry pie again on Tuesday.” she informs him with a wink, and that is- Bodhi _knows_ Maz is a gossip, but come on. Before he can open his mouth to reply, Luke is back, so he settles for smiling and giving her a nod.

“Have a good night, Rey..” he sighs, heading towards the door, and Luke echoes him before following. Everyone is still milling around outside, talking or lighting up cigarettes, and Bodhi glances at Luke, arching one eyebrow. 

“You ready to head back, or?..” he trails off, and Luke nods, zipping his jacket up against the brisk chill.

“Yeah, it’s pretty late..” Luke agrees, giving Bodhi a smile, and Bodhi smiles in return before turning to let Jyn and Cassian know he’s going to walk Luke back to his dorm. Jyn pulls him down for a hug, kissing his cheek, then does the same to Luke, much to his surprise.

“You boys be careful..” she says, eyes dancing as she grins, and Luke ducks his head almost bashfully as he grins, rubbing at the back of his neck.

“We will, promise.” he tells her, giving Bodhi a sideways look, and Bodhi flushes just a little bit as he gives everyone else a short wave.

“Night, guys!” Bodhi calls, turning away with Luke, who immediately catches his hand and tangles their fingers together- a few people whistle after them, and Luke ducks his head again, pressing closer to his side as he grins.

“They aren’t transparent at all..” Luke muses, and Bodhi snorts, because _that_ is an understatement if he’s ever heard one. They walk in comfortable silence for a bit, and Bodhi allows himself to turn the night’s events over in his head, replaying every touch, every smile, every teasing little kiss on the cheek, and his chest feels tight, but not- not in a _bad_ way, for once. Nerves aside, tonight was the first night in a long time that he’d felt.. normal. Happy. 

_You know you’re allowed to be happy, right?_

Yeah.. yeah, Bodhi thinks he’s starting to understand that, now. 

Once again, they near the dorms all too quickly for Bodhi’s tastes, and Luke sighs a little as the building comes into view, stopping them underneath one of the street lamps so he can turn to look at him properly.

“I had a really good time, tonight..” Luke’s biting his lip in a very distracting manner, and the way he’s suddenly looking at Bodhi from beneath his lashes makes Bodhi shiver from far more than the wind. “I know I’ve probably been coming on a little strong, but.. “ he pauses, voice going a little more quiet, more sincere, “I really like you, Bodhi.. I mean, if you wanna do this more, or.. not.. I just wanted to let you know that.”

Bodhi can only stare at Luke, because his throat feels too dry and tight for him to even attempt saying anything in return, and Luke looks a little unsure all of a sudden, loosening his grip on Bodhi’s hand and opening his mouth like he’s going to apologize-

Bodhi surges forward, grabbing at the back of Luke’s head as he kisses him, _hard_ , because he can’t resist anymore, he _can’t_ — Luke makes a soft, eager sound in the back of his throat as he returns the kiss, both of his hands coming up to frame Bodhi’s face, fingers curling into his hair, and Bodhi shudders, because it’s _perfect_.

Luke breaks away first, breathing Bodhi’s name against his lips, his bright eyes gone dark under the pale glow of the street lamp— Bodhi backs him up against the cold metal post, curling his fingers into Luke’s stupidly soft hair as he kisses him again, and Luke groans in the back of his throat as he fists his hands in Bodhi’s jacket, pulling him even closer. 

_He really is ruining my life_ , Bodhi thinks— _ruining it in the best way possible_ —and when he darts his tongue against Luke’s lower lip, tasting _strawberries_ , Luke pushes forward, chasing after Bodhi's tongue with his own as he makes the most beautiful, desperate little whimpering sound—

“ _Fuck_.” Bodhi has to break away this time, breathing harshly as he rests his forehead against Luke’s, who is breathing just as hard as he pushes in to nip at Bodhi’s lower lip gently. 

“You are so fucking hot, it’s not _fair_..” Luke breathes out, voice husky, and Bodhi makes a soft, strangled sound as Luke hauls him in for another kiss, biting at his lip in a way that is absolutely indecent. Bodhi has to break away again, pressing Luke firmly into the lamp post, pinning him there as he tries to surge forward again, because—

“Me? Are you _fucking kidding me_?” Bodhi grits out, chest heaving— he leans in, pressing his lips along Luke’s jawline, and Luke all too eagerly tilts his head back to give him better access. “You have the fucking _nerve_ to stroll into my cafe, all bright eyed and _gorgeous_ , with a smile that could probably bring about world peace..” he nips at Luke’s ear, earning a small whimper, “And _then_ you have the nerve to be a good person, and have good taste in music, and then, because _that’s_ not enough, you have to hold my hand and start wearing _leather fucking pants_.. are you _actually trying to kill me_ , Luke Skywalker?”

Bodhi leans back after his little tirade, and Luke’s cheeks are absolutely flushed as he stares at him with dark eyes— then, Luke bites at his swollen lip with a coy smile, looking _completely_ unabashed as he tilts his head. “If I say yes, will you kiss me again?”

Bodhi stares at Luke for a moment before kissing him harder than the first time, because this kid is going to be the _death_ of him, and Luke practically moans with delight.

 

————

 

_Somehow_ , they finally wind up in front of Luke’s dorm, and Luke is smiling brighter than a whole galaxy full of stars as he looks up at Bodhi, who is still in some kind of shock over what just happened. 

“So.. we’re going steady now, right?” Luke asks, looking far too bashful for someone who just had their _tongue_ shoved down Bodhi’s throat, and Bodhi stares at him like he’s some kind of rare artifact that he doubts he’ll ever be able to truly identify. What is a Luke Skywalker? Why does it exist? _Why is it ruining my life?_

“Going stea— what, is Tatooine stuck in a fucking time warp, or something?” Bodhi snorts, smiling despite the pounding in his chest that still hasn’t calmed down. Luke rolls his eyes, shoving at him playfully, and Bodhi takes the opportunity to grab his hand and pull him into a kiss, because he can’t seem to get enough of that— 

“You know what I mean, asshole..” Luke murmurs against his lips, and Bodhi smiles, because he does, and because— 

“Yeah.. yeah, we are. If that’s what you want.” he says quietly, lifting one hand so he can brush his thumb over Luke’s cheekbone. Luke catches Bodhi's hand, holding it against his face as he looks at him with bright, happy eyes. 

“It is.. you sure it’s what _you_ want?” Luke asks again, biting his lip as he studies Bodhi’s face— Bodhi knows that Luke is trying to give him an out if he’s not ready, knows that Luke will forget this ever happened and go on just being his friend if it’s what he wants, but— that’s _not_ what he wants. Not anymore. 

_You’re allowed to be happy.. you deserve to be happy, Bodhi._

“Never been more sure of anything in my life.” Bodhi whispers, and the sound Luke makes when Bodhi kisses him again, slow and soft this time, is one of absolute agreement. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THEY DID THE THING! GET IT, BODHI. God I love my soft, dumb boys..
> 
> Here's a delightful Spotify [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/user/attackedastoria/playlist/1VgUwsd1nVFxPWrzXWqgFI) of Luke's jukebox choices! Such subtle choices. Good job, Luke.


	12. You Know How I Do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You know you're technically an emo kid, right?

 

 

They don’t exactly say anything to anyone, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out. 

When Luke comes to the cafe the next afternoon, he smiles brightly and leans over the counter- Bodhi meets him halfway for a quick kiss, and behind him, Jyn gasps and drops the carton of milk she’s holding. 

“ _Oh my god_.” she whispers, clutching at her chest for a moment as she stares at them, “Oh my god, oh my god, _yes_ , oh my god..” she continues to whisper, even as she grabs a rag and crouches down to wipe up the milk all over the floor. Bodhi turns his head slightly, looking at her like she’s actually _lost her mind_ , and Luke grins as he leans in again.

“I think we broke her.” he whispers, arching one eyebrow, and Bodhi snorts, pecking Luke on the lips again before punching a chai latte into the register. Jyn stares up at them, clutching the wet rag in her hands tightly, looking like she might vibrate into little pieces from sheer happiness.

“I have to- I have to call _everyone_.” she whispers fiercely, and Bodhi rolls his eyes and does his best to step around her as he goes to start up Luke’s chai.

“For fuck’s sake, Jyn, _why are you like this?_ ”

 

————

 

No one else reacts quite as dramatically as Jyn does, but there’s a lot of smirks and smug looks being aimed their way, which irritates Bodhi to no end.

Han loses 100 bucks in the betting pool, because he bet on Bodhi saying ‘no’ if Luke asked him out- Wedge and Kay rake in the most money, because they were closest to the right timeline of events.

“Statistically, I was counting on them having banged by now, but this is close enough, I suppose.” Kay says, counting through his money- he pauses for a moment before turning to look at Han. “Is there a betting pool for that, too? I need to run some numbers.”

Bodhi ignores all of them, because if there is, he doesn’t want to fucking know. _Why is he friends with these people?_

 

————

 

The next two weeks roll on.

Between school, work, and band practice, neither Bodhi or Luke have a huge amount of free time, but the time they do have is usually spent together. Luke usually comes to the cafe every day, sometimes just to steal a kiss before he has to run to class, and they end up at Maz’s diner more often than not, late at night, talking or doing homework while Luke is practically showered with all sorts of strawberry related confections that Maz and Poe think up. Finn thinks it’s hilarious, but Bodhi doesn’t, since no one deems fit to shower _him_ with chocolate or caramel treats.

 

————

 

In a very rare moment of intersecting schedules, Bodhi has the apartment to himself one evening- Jyn is out with Leia and Ahsoka for some kind of girl’s night that involves kickboxing, Cassian is out with one of his _connections_ trying to secure them some studio time, and Kay is working a late shift at the university library. 

This almost never happens, so Bodhi takes advantage of it in the best way possible- he throws on his copy of _Tell All Your Friends_ , cranks it, and cleans the apartment while using the broom as a microphone stand, because he’s 24 and he’s clearly an _adult_ , and no one can tell him otherwise.

He takes a quick break before tackling the kitchen, grabbing his phone and flipping it open- Luke has a late class tonight, so Bodhi’s not sure what time he’ll be done, but he sends him a text asking if he wants to go get dinner when he’s out. He grabs one of Jyn’s hairbands off the counter, twisting his hair into a messy knot as he goes to find out where Kay stashed the mop, if they even _have_ a mop.

Half an hour later, Bodhi has found the mop, _Tell All Your Friends_ is still on repeat with _Where You Want To Be_ queued up next, and the kitchen is looking quite sparkly- Bodhi’s pretty proud, because he usually puts off cleaning until Kay has a nervous breakdown and threatens to kill them all. He’s been considering inviting Luke over, soon, though, and he doesn’t want him to think he lives in _complete_ squalor-

Someone pounds on the door- Kay must have stopped to get groceries after work -and Bodhi whips the mop into his other hand, still using it as a makeshift mic as he sings and goes to answer it, because Kay _hates_ Taking Back Sunday, and he loves getting under Kay’s skin-

“ _We won’t stand for hazy eyes anymore!.._ ” he yanks the door open with a grin, fully prepared for Kay’s wrath, except— that is— oh, no, that is not Kay. _At all._

Oh, shit.

_Luke_ is staring at him, eyes slightly wide and extremely amused- “Hi?” -and then his eyes are trailing down, getting darker by the second as he bites his lip and makes a noise of appreciation in his throat. Bodhi belatedly remembers that he’s barefoot, his worn jeans are wet from mopping and barely hanging on to his hips, and he’s _not wearing a shirt_. Fantastic.

“This is.. not what it.. looks like?” Bodhi manages after a moment, clutching the mop to his chest as the back of his neck burns. Luke very slowly lifts his eyes back up to meet his, quirking an eyebrow as he smirks.

“I’m not even sure what it’s _supposed_ to look like, but okay..” he muses, and Bodhi quickly steps back, gesturing for Luke to come in. 

“I was just, uh.. cleaning.. I didn’t know you were out of class, yet.” he says, going to put the mop away- he can feel Luke’s eyes following him as he tries to find his shirt, where the hell did he toss it--

“I didn’t know you had a _tattoo_.” Luke says, sounding very curious and a little excited, and Bodhi freezes, because yeah— it’s kind of hard to _miss_ , in his current state. _Shit_. He doesn’t turn around, his heart pounding a little bit as he hears Luke set his bag down, then start to move towards him, slowly—

“Can I see it?” he asks, and Bodhi can hear the smile in his voice, warm and reassuring. “You don’t have to show me, if you don’t want to.. I know I kind of caught you off guard.”

“Where’d you even get my address?” Bodhi mutters, turning around to face Luke after a long moment of internal debate— Luke has the decency to look a little abashed, shrugging one shoulder as he ducks his head.

“Jyn.. I wanted to surprise you.” he nods towards his bag, and Bodhi can see that there’s a brown paper takeout bag, as well, from his favorite thai restaurant. He feels some of his nerves melt away, because of _course_ Luke had wanted to surprise him, and smiles just a bit. 

“Well, I’m definitely surprised, so congrats on that.” he huffs out, not quite a laugh, and Luke smiles as he closes the distance between them, leaning in for a brief, sweet kiss. 

“Sorry, I should’ve texted you.. though I’m not exactly _complaining_ about the way you answered the door.” he smirks, eyes trailing down again, curious, and Bodhi bites his lip as he turns to the side a bit, lifting his arm out of the way— Luke is going to see it _eventually_ , part of him argues, so he might as well get it over with now—

The cardinal is a vivid splash of red, gold, and blue contrast across his left ribcage, caught in mid-flight, its chest and wings riddled with arrows as it cries out- his tattoo artist had gone with a striking mix of watercolor and traditional, exactly what Bodhi had pictured, and every time he caught sight of it in the mirror, his breath still caught for a second. 

Luke’s lips part as he tilts his head to get a better look, his eyes widening a fraction, surprised by the size and detail of it. “Wow.. it’s beautiful..” he murmurs, reaching out to skim one finger over the banner of text, in Bodhi’s own handwriting, that curls around the tail feathers. 

“ _I swear I’ll never let you down again.._ ” Luke looks up sharply, meeting Bodhi’s eyes as he places the lyrics, his face lighting up in recognition. “This is from the song you played at the show.. _Cardinals_ , right?”

Bodhi swallows hard and shivers a little as Luke’s fingers gently traced over the contours of the wings, but manages to nod. “Yeah.. I got it after I first wrote the song..”

Luke’s brow furrows slightly as he traces the point of an arrow with a fingertip before he straightens up, drawing his hand away. Bodhi meets his eyes, and he can see the question in them, but he doesn’t know if he’s ready to explain, not _yet_ —

“I’d like to hear the story behind it, when you’re ready to tell me.” Luke tells him with a soft, understanding smile, and Bodhi feels his body flood with relief almost immediately- he doesn’t deserve Luke, he _really_ doesn’t, but he’s going to keep him anyway.

“I’ll tell you.. soon. “ Bodhi nods, giving him a smile in return, and whatever tension was left fades as Luke leans in to kiss him— Bodhi hums softly in pleasure, one hand automatically sliding around the back of Luke’s neck, and then Luke’s hands are sliding over his bare shoulders, skin on skin, and _that_ sends a sudden jolt of heat through him-

“As much as I don’t want you to, you should _probably_ put a shirt on..” Luke whispers against his lips, and Bodhi grunts softly in agreement, but leans in for another kiss anyway, catching Luke’s lower lip in his teeth, and the quiet little whimper he makes _definitely_ goes straight to Bodhi’s groin— _well, fuck._

“Yeah, okay, shirt.. right.” Bodhi breaks away sharply, breathing harder, surprised at himself- he hasn’t wanted anyone like this in ages, and Luke doesn’t look much better off, dark-eyed and flushed and unable to keep his eyes off Bodhi’s bare skin. Yeah, he _really_ needs to put a shirt on.

Bodhi flees to his room before his dick somehow convinces his brain to do something _incredibly_ stupid, and grabs a shirt off his desk chair, pulling it on a bit more forcefully than he needs to. He takes a few deep breaths before returning to the living room, and he stops mid step, staring, because Luke is singing along to the music that’s still playing as he pokes around in the kitchen, looking for plates and silverware—

“ _Who’s to say you’ll have to go, I could go all night.._ ” Luke is tossing his hair around, one leg bouncing to the beat as he stretches up to pull some plates from the top shelf, and Bodhi feels the heat in his body come flooding back, because Luke’s singing voice is _gorgeous_. What the _fuck_ , how has he never heard him _sing_ before now-

Luke turns, setting the plates on the counter, and grins as he notices Bodhi, still singing- “ _Well I got a bad feeling about this, I got a bad feeling about this.._ ” —and Bodhi is across the room before he knows what he’s doing, pinning Luke against the counter as he kisses him far too heatedly. Luke practically melts beneath him, making a surprised but eager sound in his throat, and Bodhi has to break away before he gets carried away _again._

“Shit, you _really_ like Taking Back Sunday..” Luke huffs, laughing a little as he catches his breath and pushes his hair out of his face, eyes a little wide. Bodhi snorts softly, laughing a little himself as he eases off of Luke, who still looks just a little bit dazed.

“Sorry, I just.. I’ve never heard you _sing_ before.” he says, shaking his head, and Luke blushes as he goes to grab of takeout he left by the door. 

“I’m not _that_ good..” he mutters, sounding a little embarrassed, and Bodhi looks over at him sharply, because that is almost insulting after what he just heard. 

“Are you fucking _kidding_ me? I’m surprised _you_ aren’t the one with the record deal, if your piano skills are half as good as your voice..” he tells him, and Bodhi knows all about lacking confidence, he does, but— how can Luke not realize how good he sounds? Has no one _told him?_

Luke rolls his eyes, setting the bag on the counter and starting to pull out containers. “We’re _already_ dating, you don’t have to butter me up that much, you know.” he laughs, and oh, no, he is _not_ getting off that easy.

“When’s your next band practice?” Bodhi asks, going to help him sort through the containers- Luke freezes for a moment before looking at him hesitantly, biting at his lower lip.

“Saturday?..” he answers, looking uncharacteristically nervous— Bodhi’s heart clenches just a bit, and he leans over, grabbing Luke’s chin so he can kiss the younger boy softly.

“Let me know what time and I’ll be there.. I want to hear you.” he tells him, meeting Luke’s bright gaze, which still looks a little nervous, but Luke nods after a moment and gives him a smile.

“Alright.. I’ll text you.” he promises, smiling a little wider, before he holds up two containers and arches an eyebrow. “You want the chicken or the shrimp pad thai?”

Bodhi picks the chicken, and Luke pouts, handing it over reluctantly— Bodhi sighs and switches him for the shrimp a few seconds later, because he is weak, and Luke’s a little shit who _always_ gets what he wants.

“Brat.”

————

 

They end up eating on the couch, Luke’s legs thrown casually over Bodhi’s lap as they watch the latest installment of the _Galaxy Wars_ series, which in Bodhi’s opinion, is slightly disappointing. 

“Seriously.. Kyle Ron, that’s the best villain they could come up with?” he scoffs, stabbing a piece of shrimp with his chopsticks. “He’s like every emo kid I’ve ever known, just with more daddy issues.”

“You know _you’re_ technically an emo kid, right?” Luke snorts, eyeing Bodhi’s Anberlin shirt, before leaning forward a bit as he almost drops a piece of chicken on himself. Bodhi ignores him— Luke’s right, of course, but he doesn’t want to _tell_ him that. 

“At least Fey is cool..” Bodhi mumbles around a mouthful of noodles, eyes glued to the lightsaber duel currently unfolding on the screen. Luke makes a noise of agreement, reaching over to grab his beer off the cluttered coffee table.

 

———

 

After they finish eating, Bodhi finds himself with a lap full of Luke, because apparently thirty minutes is the maximum amount of time they can both go without touching each other. Bodhi chooses to blame this on the fact that Luke is _exceptionally_ hot, and he hasn’t had a boyfriend in, like, _six years._

Luke will _not stop squirming_ , and Bodhi has to grab his hips in a vain attempt to hold him still as he continues his assault on Luke’s neck, biting sharply at the spot below his ear. “You _really_ need to stop doing that..” he breathes out, and Luke’s response is to push his hips down _harder_ , because he’s a little bastard like that. Bodhi bites his ear in retaliation, and Luke damn near _whines_ , which does _nothing_ to help the situation.

“Why? You don’t like it?” Luke laughs breathily, and then he does it _again_ , and Bodhi clenches his fingers on his boyfriend’s hips so hard that he wouldn’t be surprised if Luke finds marks there tomorrow.

“Ruining my _fucking_ life..” Bodhi mutters, trying to convince his dick once again that _no, this is not a good time, it’s really not_ — “I wanted to take this _slow_ , you know.”

Luke stills his hips a bit at that, smiling as he tips his head down so he can drag Bodhi in for a kiss. “I’ll stop if you really want.. “ he says, nipping softly at Bodhi’s lip. “I guess I’m just a little excited now that I’ve got you all to myself.”

“I definitely know the feeling.” Bodhi responds, slightly embarrassed as his voice cracks just a bit— Luke laughs, framing Bodhi’s face in his hands as he kisses him again, his thumbs tracing over the line of his beard.

“Sorry.” he apologizes, though he is clearly not sorry at all. Bodhi snorts softly, releasing Luke’s hips so he can skim them up over his back instead— the Yellowcard shirt he’s wearing is again, about two sizes two small in Bodhi’s opinion, and he wonders if Luke owns _any_ clothes that actually fit. Luke hums softly in his throat, clearly enjoying the touch, and Bodhi smiles as he tilts his head back and just _looks_ up at him, studying his face, wanting to commit it to memory, because—

“You are _so_ fucking beautiful.” he breathes out, surprising himself— Luke looks surprised as well, his bright eyes going wide as a fierce blush rises to his cheeks, and he ducks his head, trying to hide a grin.

“Yeah?” he asks, sounding pleased as he looks at Bodhi from beneath his lashes— Bodhi nods, biting his lip, and Luke leans in to kiss him softly, brushing his thumb over his cheekbone as he whispers, “So are you, y’know..”

Bodhi feels _himself_ starting to blush, because that is _absolutely_ not true, but Luke silences him with another kiss as he tries to protest.

 

————

 

Luke leaves before everyone else gets back, though Bodhi does his best to make it difficult for him— he mostly just enjoys the way Luke gasps, almost whining as Bodhi sucks and nips a mark into his neck that he will _not_ be able to hide, protesting half-heartedly at best.

“ _Bodhi_.. fuck, I have to go, I have class really early..” Luke groans, and Bodhi hums against his neck in acknowledgement, wondering if he has time to make _another_ mark right below the first one— “Will you _stop that_ , Wedge and Han are going to give me so much _shit_ tomorrow— oh, _fuck_ , right there, _god_ , yes..”

Bodhi smirks as Luke gasps and grabs at his hair, and has time to make _two_ more marks on his neck before Luke shoves him off and insists that he _really has to go._

Later that night, after Bodhi climbs into bed, his phone buzzes sharply on the nightstand- he reaches out with a yawn, flipping it open, and squints at the screen. 

_From: Luke_  
_Jesus fucking Christ, Bodhi, I’m gonna have to borrow one of Leia’s scarves_

Bodhi grins, completely unrepentant, and snaps his phone shut before shoving his face into his pillow. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soft Boys, full of not so soft hormones.. oh, no.
> 
> _Tell All Your Friends_ and _Where You Want To Be_ are both albums by the band Taking Back Sunday. Bodhi, you truly are an emo kid at heart..
> 
> Thanks so much once again for all of the wonderful comments and kudos, I'm so happy people are enjoying this! <3 You may notice this is now a series! I have added a oneshot detailing how Wedge/Bodhi first met, and plan to add more oneshots that fit into this universe in the future.


	13. Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That is how you pick up girls. Or boys. Or anything with a pulse.

 

 

When Luke drops by the cafe the next day, during the late afternoon, he has a very fetching black and white checked scarf tucked carefully around his neck. Bodhi smirks.

“Do you have _any idea_ how much shit Leia gave me this morning?” Luke greets him with a glare, pressing his palms flat against the counter as he leans in, trying to look mad— he looks adorable, honestly, and Bodhi has to try really hard not to laugh.

“That’s a cute scarf.” he replies, smiling as Luke ramps his glare up another notch, though the blush rising on his face kind of ruins the whole effect.

“I want a hot chocolate and two strawberry scones, and you are _paying for them_ , you ass.” Luke demands, and Bodhi rings it up with a solemn nod, pulling out his wallet.

“Fair enough. That is a cute scarf, though.” Bodhi smirks, swiping his card, and Luke is fighting back a smile now as he shakes his head.

“Thanks.” Luke says, voice dripping with sarcasm, and Bodhi grins before he goes to start on Luke’s hot chocolate. Jyn hands the latte she was working on to a customer and steps around Bodhi, smirking as she spots Luke.

“Cold out today?” she asks, and Luke rolls his eyes as he slumps against the counter.

“Shut up and give me my scones. Please.” he grumbles, and Jyn grins wickedly as she goes to pull two strawberry scones out of the case for him, making sure to pick the ones with the most icing on them. She wraps them up and sets them on the counter with am exaggerated wink, causing Luke to blush again.

“Try using an icepack and pressing down on them really hard with the back of a spoon, next time. Helps with the blood-flow.” Jyn offers sagely, and Luke groans as he covers his face with one hand, muttering _‘Jesus Christ, why’_ under his breath. Bodhi hip checks Jyn out of his way as he brings Luke his hot chocolate, arching an eyebrow at the shorter girl.

“Don’t tell him how to get _rid_ of them..” Bodhi scoffs, because he put a lot of _work_ into those— Jyn laughs, bumping Bodhi’s hip with her own playfully, before she goes to clean up a few dishes left on some of the tables in the cafe. Luke looks very unamused as he takes his hot chocolate, and Bodhi leans over to kiss him, trying not to grin.

“I hate you.” Luke sighs against his lips, and Bodhi snorts softly. He lifts one hand, tugging the edge of Luke’s scarf away from his neck curiously, and does not feel absolutely smug as he sees the dark marks covering his skin. Luke slaps his hand away, tucking his scarf back into place, and glares at him again.

“I’m gonna pay you back for this, you know.” he warns, and Bodhi grins as he leans back, because that is _exactly_ what he was hoping for.

“Looking forward to it.”

 

————

 

“I booked us some studio time, after Christmas.”

Bodhi looks up from where he’s restringing his guitar on his bed, surprised- Cassian is leaning against the doorframe, arms grossed over his chest, grinning.

“Really? How much is it gonna cost?” he asks, turning his eyes back down to his guitar as he tightens a string. Cassian waves one hand dismissively.

“Don’t worry about it, the guy owed me a favor.” he answers, and Bodhi arches an eyebrow, but shrugs- it wouldn’t be the first time he profited from one of Cassian’s favors, and he doubted it’d be the last. “Hey, you wanna book a show soon? Baze texted me, they’re looking to have some kind of event at Kyber, wanted to know if we were interested.”

“Sure, why not.” Bodhi answers, smiling, because he’ll never turn down an opportunity to play at Kyber, or play in general, really. “Set it up, man.”

Cassian grins and pounds his fist on the doorframe before leaving— Bodhi picks up another string, and wonders why the hell he isn’t freaking out about the fact that they’re going to be recording a real album in a fairly short amount of time.

 

————

 

When Saturday finally rolls around, Luke texts Bodhi the time and location of his band’s practice— it’s at the same warehouse _Rogue One_ uses, so that’s easy enough, at least. He keeps one eye on his clock as he hastily rushes through his bullshit tech homework, saving his progress and slapping his laptop shut when he’s done, and goes to change into a warmer hoodie so he can leave.

“I’ll be back later!” he calls over his shoulder after grabbing his wallet and keys, and Kay absently lifts one hand in acknowledgment from where he’s reading on the couch as Bodhi leaves. 

It’s starting to get cooler this late into October, and Bodhi flips his hood up on the walk over to the warehouse, glad that it isn’t too far away. He texts Luke to let him know he’s on his way, but doesn’t get a reply, and assumes they must be busy unpacking gear or practicing already. When Bodhi reaches the warehouse, he heads up to the second floor— taking a quick glance at his phone to make sure he knows the room, he heads down the right hallway, towards the very end, and stops.

Bodhi can hear the hum of music through the heavily sound insulated walls, feel the vibration— he hesitates for a second, not sure if he should knock, and decides to just try the handle instead— it’s unlocked, and he eases the door open a bit, peeking inside as he’s suddenly assaulted by the loud melody of a piano, guitar, drums, bass, and Luke’s _voice_ —

 _“I’ve never been so lost, I’ve never felt so much at home, please write my folks and throw away my keys!..”_

Bodhi can’t help but stare, because Luke is _everywhere_ as he hovers in front of a battered studio piano that’s completely covered in all kinds of stickers, like he can’t contain his energy— there’s a bench behind him that’s been knocked over, because clearly he can’t sit and play. The music is _very_ much on the poppy side of punk, which suits Luke’s voice perfectly, and Bodhi’s eyes are riveted to his face as he watches him sing—

Luke hasn’t noticed him due to the angle he’s playing at, but Wedge has, and he grins, beckoning Bodhi inside with a jerk of his head— Bodhi slips into the room, closing the door behind him, and leans against it as he watches them play. Wedge and Lando are having just as much fun as Luke appears to be having, while Han and Chewie are a little more sedated, but still enjoying themselves. They sound pretty damn good in Bodhi’s opinion, especially considering they haven’t been playing together very long— they definitely need some polishing, but the groundwork is solid. He’s impressed.

Bodhi finds himself bobbing his head along and smiling, because the song is catchy, and when Luke brings it to an abruptly halt, he’s breathing hard and frowning a little. “I’m still not sure about that last verse, what do you guys—“ he turns, reaching for a bottle of water, then damn near jumps out of his skin when he notices Bodhi. “Jesus!”

“Bodhi, actually.” Bodhi corrects, smirking, and Luke gives him a half-hearted glare as he snatches up a bottle of water and moves towards him. 

“Sorry, I didn’t see you come in.” he says, looking a little anxious suddenly, “We’re, uh.. we’re still working on that one, it’s not—“

Bodhi cuts Luke off as he leans in for a kiss— Lando whistles behind them, and Luke flips him the bird over his shoulder as he presses back in for another, deeper, kiss. Bodhi curls one hand around the back of Luke’s neck and finds that his skin and the ends of golden hair are already _delightfully_ sweaty—

“Hey, no PDA in the god damn band room!” Han gripes, fiddling with his guitar and one of his foot pedals. Luke pulls away from Bodhi and glares over his shoulder, pushing his hair out of his eyes.

“Hey, I’m helping pay for this room, I can kiss my boyfriend in it if I damn well please.” Luke fires back, and Han rolls his eyes as Wedge and Lando laugh. Chewie is tapping out a random rhythm on his snare, looking somewhere between bored and amused as he arches an eyebrow at them, as if silently asking _‘are we gonna keep going or what?’_

Bodhi gives Luke a gentle shove, smirking just a bit. “Go on, I’ll stay out of your way..” he leans in to press a quick kiss to one of the fading bruises on Luke’s throat, whispering, “You sound fucking _great_ , by the way.”

Luke is blushing when he pulls away, and Bodhi grins as he goes to find a spot against the wall that’s out of the way so he can sit and watch.

 

————

 

“This isn’t your usual style.. I’m surprised.” Bodhi tells Han, looking up at him from the floor- Han’s currently sitting on an amp next to him, chugging some water as Luke and Wedge argue about a verse from the last song they played. Han shrugs one shoulder and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

“I know.. thought the change might be good.” Han admits, raking one hand back through his damp hair. He smirks a little as he looks down at Bodhi. “Plus, the kid’s got more talent in one pinky finger than most of the other people I’ve played with.”

“No shit.” Bodhi agrees, because as rough as they sound right now, they have _potential_. Luke’s lyrics are incredibly catchy and poppy, his piano work is smooth, and if he’s the one writing all the music, then Bodhi doesn’t understand _why_ his academic advisors decided to stick him in intro classes. Did they even _look_ at his sheet music?

“I think we can go somewhere, if we smooth everything out a bit.. kid’s got a voice for pop radio, and I sure as hell ain’t above riding his coattails.” Han smirks, rising as he finishes off his water. Bodhi snorts, because _that_ is not surprising, but he supposes he can’t disagree. 

 

————

 

Bodhi finds himself slinging Han’s Gibson SG over his shoulder twenty minutes later, because Luke and Lando want to fuck around and cover _Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’_ , which Han reluctantly admits he doesn’t know.

“How do you _not_ know this song?” Bodhi asks as he adjust a few knobs and tries to get himself acquainted with the guitar- it’s heavier than his telecaster, and the neck is a little shorter, so he’ll have to adjust his fingering. “How have you _ever_ managed to pick up a girl, seriously..”

Lando laughs hysterically at that for some reason, and Han glares, pointing a bottle of water at Bodhi threateningly. “Shut your mouth, smartass.. you better treat my baby right, try not to get too attached to her.”

Bodhi rolls his eyes, turning away from him and dragging out a quick riff— it is a nice guitar, he has to admit. Once he gets a feel for it, he glances over at Luke to see if he’s ready, and Luke is staring at him like he wants to leap over his piano and possibly maul him. _That_ is not distracting at all..

“You guys ready?” Wedge asks, and that seems to snap Luke out of it— he blinks and nods, grinning as he settles his hands across the keys.

“Yeah, let’s give it a shot!” he says, and Lando smirks as he and Chewie kick them off, Bodhi joining in, then Luke, then Wedge—

Luke’s no Steve Perry— who is, honestly? —but he does pretty well on the vocals, and is smooth on the piano, and Wedge and Lando have clearly played this song a few times before, so they sound pretty damn good. Bodhi finds himself grinning as he plays, because he hasn’t played with anyone else but _Rogue One_ in a while, and it’s fun to do something _different_ for once, and he starts to get really into it.

“Shit, yeah, make _love_ to that thing, Bodhi..” Wedge mutters, biting his lip as he leans against Bodhi’s back, and Bodhi grins as he leans back against him in return, starting to show off, wishing he had a-

“Rook!” Han calls, nodding towards his mic stand— Bodhi sees the slide and slips it on quickly, now that is _just_ what he fucking needed —and Lando whoops loudly through Luke’s singing as Bodhi _really_ starts to fuck around and show off. He bites his lip as he throws his head back on Wedge’s shoulder, eyes closed, sliding his fingers over the neck of the guitar almost sensually as he wrings everything he can out of it— _fuck_ , he loves playing music, he could do this for the rest of his life--

Luke keeps the last refrain rolling longer just so Bodhi can fuck around and show off a little more, but he finally tapers it off so they can finish, and _damn that was fun_. Wedge shoves Bodhi’s shoulder as he turns, grinning like a mad man.

“This _fuckin’_ guy.. “ he laughs, shaking his head, and Lando laughs as well as he claps Bodhi on the shoulder and gives him a shake.

“Now _that_ is what I’m talkin’ about, brother.. you need to come by and jam more.” Lando grins, giving him another shake, and Bodhi smirks, shrugging one shoulder before he looks over towards Han and points at him.

“ _That_ is how you pick up girls. Or boys. Or anything with a pulse.” Bodhi tells him, unslinging the Gibson and setting it down on its stand. Han snorts and shakes his head, but he’s smirking with appreciation all the same. 

“You’re alright, kid.” he says— high praise from Han, Bodhi knows —and hops off the amp. “I’m goin’ out for a smoke, anyone wanna join me?”

Lando, Wedge and Chewie call out in agreement, either wanting a smoke or some fresh air. They file out, and Bodhi turns towards Luke, grinning and ready to compliment his playing and singing yet again— 

He doesn’t get a chance to say a damn thing as Luke practically _slams_ him up against the door, his mouth hot and insistent and _everywhere_. Bodhi groans harshly in the back of his throat, grabbing at Luke’s face as he kisses him bitingly, and he can feel Luke’s hands pushing his hoodie open so they can get beneath his shirt, Luke’s short, blunt nails scraping over the tattoo on his ribcage—

“Fuck!” Bodhi gasps out, letting his head fall back against the door as Luke practically attacks his neck with his mouth, clearly aiming to deliver on his earlier threat as he bites and sucks at his skin, working to make a mark. Bodhi lifts one hand to grip at Luke’s hair, pulling just a little, and the sound that Luke suddenly makes against his throat should be fucking _illegal._

“You _cannot_ come in here and just play guitar like _that_ in front of me, it’s not fair..” Luke pants against his skin, and Bodhi uses his grip on Luke’s hair to pull him up for hungry, very messy kiss that Luke returns all too eagerly, whining low and needy in the back of his throat. Bodhi doesn’t want to stop, but he should, because the others are probably going to come back any second now, and he shouldn’t be this desperate for Luke in the first place, he’s supposed to be taking it _slow—_

“I should go..” Bodhi breathes out sharply as they finally part, closing his eyes so he doesn’t have to see Luke’s wet and stupidly pretty lips, his blown out pupils— _fuck_ , he really needs to go. Luke groans a little, clearly not agreeing, and leans in to nuzzle against Bodhi’s cheek.

“Wait, I’ll come with you..” he whispers, pressing kisses along the line of his beard, and Bodhi swallows hard, because that is probably a terrible idea. Before he can protest, Luke is kissing him again, slow and deep, and Bodhi groans when he pulls away, pressing the heels of his palms into his eyes as he knocks his head back against the door.

“Fuck, _fine_.. hurry up.” he grunts, gently shoving Luke away from him so he can zip up his hoodie. “I need to get some air, I’ll be waiting outside..”

Bodhi pulls his hood up and turns quickly, not looking at Luke, because if he does he’s just going to fucking kiss him again— he yanks the door open and slips into the hallway, keeping his head down as he walks towards the stairs, trying to calm the pounding in his chest. If he takes Luke back to the apartment while they’re both like this—

Bodhi pulls his phone out of his pocket, his hands shaking slightly as he flips it open, and pulls up his text messages.

 

_To: Jyn_  
_Are you guys at the apartment?_

 

His phone buzzes almost immediately as he steps into the stairwell.

 

_From: Jyn_  
_cass and i are, kay’s working til 2. why?_

 

Bodhi pauses at the bottom of the stairwell, and his hands are still shaking as he types out his reply.

 

_To: Jyn_  
_I need you to be gone in about twenty minutes.._  
_Please?_

 

Bodhi can hear the others coming back inside, and ducks underneath the stairwell- they don’t see him as they head back upstairs to the second floor, and he’s glad for that as his phone goes off again.

 

_From: Jyn_  
_gone??_  
_…. oh_  
_OH, shit, okay_  
_how long?_

 

Bodhi bites his lip as he ducks out from underneath the stairwell and heads towards the door, pushing it open- it’s just starting to rain, and the chill helps him cool down just a little bit.

 

_To: Jyn_  
_I don’t know, couple hours_  
_I’ll buy you guys brunch tomorrow_

 

Bodhi leans against the cold brick wall of the warehouse and tilts his face up to the rain for a minute- his heart is still pounding, but it’s a little more under control now. He glances back down at his phone again when it buzzes in his hand.

 

_From: Jyn_  
_alright, cass is bored anyway, we’ll go hit up some bars_  
_please don’t get jizz on the couch_  
_have fun!!_

 

Bodhi huffs out a sharp laugh, biting his lip as he smiles down at the screen.

 

_To: Jyn_  
_I owe you one_

 

Bodhi snaps his phone shut and shoves it back into his pocket, staring down at the sidewalk as it starts to rain a little harder— he’s never minded the rain, so he doesn’t particularly care as it starts to soak through his hoodie. He closes his eyes, wondering if this is a bad idea, if they’re going too fast, but he wants Luke so _much_ , more than he’s ever wanted _anything_ , if he’s being honest. Bodhi doesn’t want to wait anymore, he’s been waiting for the past _six fucking years_ to let himself feel anything like this again—

He clenches his jaw and pounds one fist back against the wall as he makes his decision.

When Luke comes outside about ten minutes later, Bodhi is thoroughly soaked from the rain, and the first words out of his mouth when he meets Luke’s eyes are— “You wanna come over and spend the night?”

Luke stares at him for a moment, eyes wide and dark, rapidly becoming soaked by rain himself, before he nods and bites at his lower lip hard.

“Yeah.. fuck, _yeah_ , I really do.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, no, I wonder where this is going??? 
> 
> Also, our first peek at Luke's band! Yay! They will be based on the band Something Corporate. I highly recommend you watch some of their videos to get a picture of how Luke plays his piano.. so adorable.
> 
> I also clearly love Journey, if you couldn't tell. [cough] Go listen to the last minute of _Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'_ and tell me it's _not_ hot to picture Bodhi playing guitar to that, I dare you..


	14. Inertia Creeps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fuck, you're bossy..
> 
>  
> 
> The chapter is very much rated M. Like, flashing neon M.

 

 

By the time they get to the apartment, both of them are thoroughly soaked from the rain— Bodhi kicks off his shoes and Luke does the same, a puddle of water rapidly forming beneath the two of them on the floor.

“I should really invest in an umbrella..” Bodhi mutters, already stripping off his dripping wet hoodie— his hair is damp despite having his hood pulled up, but at least it’s twisted up and out of the way. He yanks his shirt off next, tossing it into a soggy pile with his hoodie, and Luke inhales sharply next to him—

Bodhi finds himself pressed into the wall yet again as Luke pushes and pins him there, his mouth hot and insistent, a sharp contrast to their rain-chilled skin. Bodhi groans low in his throat and pushes one hand into Luke’s soaked hair, pulling at it as he licks his way into his mouth, tasting rainwater— Luke makes a _completely_ indecent noise of pleasure, mouth dropping open eagerly as he chases Bodhi’s tongue back into his mouth with his own, and Bodhi pulls on his hair just to hear him make that _noise_ again, because it’s _stupidly_ hot, and sends a jolt straight down to his rapidly growing arousal-

Luke’s hands are all over him, like they can’t decide where to settle, sliding over his shoulders, his chest, his short nails scraping over his abs, making Bodhi’s muscles clench— Bodhi starts to push him away, and Luke makes a very loud sound of protest until he realizes that Bodhi is pushing him towards his bedroom.

“Is.. is anyone else here?..” Luke asks a little belatedly, breathing hard— Bodhi shakes his head and smirks a bit as he kicks the door shut behind them.

“Nope.” he answers, and Luke bites his lip to hold back an eager, slightly wicked grin— Bodhi gently pushes past him, leaning in for a quick, biting kiss as he goes. “Make yourself at home..”

Luke snorts softly, and Bodhi can hear him unzipping his jacket as he goes over to his desk, flipping his laptop open. He needs to put something on, _anything_ to help him focus, and his hands are shaking just a little bit as he pulls up a playlist he hasn’t used in a while but should work—

“Deftones? Nice..” Luke says behind him, and when Bodhi turns, he’s greeted by the _glorious_ sight of his boyfriend pulling his shirt up over his head. Bodhi's mouth goes a little dry as he stares, breath coming faster— Luke is all tan skin and lean muscles, like something out of Bodhi's fucking _dreams_ , and he finds himself licking his lips as he watches water droplets fall from the ends of Luke’s hair and rolls across his skin. 

Bodhi closes the space between them quickly, hauling Luke in by the back of his neck for another open-mouthed kiss, which Luke returns _very_ enthusiastically, grabbing at Bodhi's shoulders to steady himself. Bodhi’s other hand drifts over Luke’s ribcage, down his side, and Luke squirms, moaning softly as Bodhi drags his fingers over his hipbone, then over to trace the fine trail of hair leading down from his navel to the waistband of his jeans—

Luke uses his grip on Bodhi's shoulders to turn them, pushing Bodhi backwards— his knees hit the edge of his bed, knocking him off balance, and he falls back, grunting as Luke follows him down, straddling his hips—

“ _Fuck.._ ” Bodhi breathes out, clutching at Luke’s hips as he grinds down— they’re both almost fully hard already, and Luke smirks as he leans down, planting his hands on either side of Bodhi’s head, and Bodhi rears up to meet his lips in a harsh kiss, swallowing down Luke’s moan almost greedily.

Bodhi breaks away from Luke’s lips, wishing he didn’t need to _breathe_ , seriously, _fuck_ breathing— and attacks Luke’s neck instead, mouthing and biting at the bruises that still haven’t completely faded from earlier that week. When Bodhi fists one hand in Luke’s damp hair, pulling his head to the side to get better access, Luke damn near _whines_ , his lashes fluttering— Bodhi pulls again, a little harder, curious— 

“ _Fuck_ , yeah..” Luke whimpers, clenching his fists in the sheets, and Bodhi realizes that Luke _likes_ having his hair pulled, and that is just- _fuck_ — Bodhi shifts his grip, pulling Luke’s head straight back with a sharp tug to expose the line of his throat, and Luke lets out a high-pitched moan as Bodhi scrapes his teeth over his adam’s apple teasingly.

“You like that, hm?..” Bodhi smirks against Luke’s skin, because this is _fascinating_ information, and Luke groans, trying to look at him, but Bodhi keeps his head firmly pulled back as he continues to bite and lick at Luke’s skin.

“Harder..” Luke whines, and _that_ sends a jolt straight down to Bodhi’s cock, but he complies, pulling harder on Luke’s golden hair. Luke curses, moaning, and grinds his hips down hard as a shudder passes through his body. “ _Yes.._ ”

Bodhi proceeds to renew the marks on Luke’s neck with vigor, adding a few new ones as well, and Luke squirms and grinds against him uncontrollably, his mouth falling open as he pants and whimpers, and Bodhi doesn’t think he’s _ever_ been this hard in his entire life, god help him—

Bodhi releases Luke’s hair and shifts, pushing himself up so he can roll Luke underneath him, pinning him down— Luke shoves his hips up, seeking contact, and Bodhi pushes them down, grabbing at Luke’s belt instead.

“I have a really unsexy question..” Bodhi grunts, struggling to work Luke’s belt open, getting distracted as he kisses and bites at the sharp line of Luke's collarbone— Luke snorts, reaching down to help Bodhi get his belt undone.

“I’m not a virgin..” Luke huffs out, laughing a little, and Bodhi bites sharply at his skin in retaliation, earning a gasp and a strangled whimper.

“ _Not_ the question, but good to know..” Bodhi mutters, lifting his head to meet Luke’s eyes— they’re dark, pupils so blown it’s hard to see any blue, and _damn_ if that doesn't make him just a little bit harder. “When’s the last time you were tested?”

Luke blinks at him, and then huffs out a short, husky laugh, grabbing the back of Bodhi’s neck and dragging him up for a kiss. “Right after I moved here, actually.. was free through the campus clinic..” he bites at Bodhi’s lip, “I’m clean, promise, I can show you the papers if you want.. I haven’t really been with many people..”

Bodhi grunts softly in reply, worrying Luke’s own lower lip between his teeth for a moment. “I trust you.. “ he murmurs, because he does, _completely_ , and that thought should probably scare him a bit. “I am too, got tested around the same time, if you wanna see..”

“I trust you.” Luke echoes, smiling against his lips, and Bodhi swallows hard, because hearing that does something _strange_ to him, makes his chest twist sharply, his heart flutter— Bodhi kisses Luke hard, hands shaking slightly as he unbuttons and unzips his jeans, then hooks his fingers into the waistband, pulling them down as Luke lifts his hips up to make it easier.

Bodhi shifts back a bit so he can finish pulling them off, tossing the damp material to the floor— Luke’s wearing black boxer briefs, and Bodhi can’t help but stare at the impressive bulge straining against them, mouth going dry for a moment, because every inch of this kid is _perfect_ , and he wants Bodhi for whatever fucking reason, and he doesn't _understand_ —

“You really _are_ fucking gorgeous..” Bodhi mutters, settling between Luke’s thighs and palming his cock through the thin material of his briefs. Luke hisses, biting his lip as he presses up into the touch, clearly wanting more contact as he lets his head fall back against the sheets with a groan.

“ _Why_ are you still wearing pants?” Luke complains, sounding breathy as Bodhi drags his thumb up along the underside of his shaft, teasing him— Bodhi smirks and leans back after a moment, sitting back on his heels as he works his own belt open, and Luke pushes himself up on one elbow, watching darkly as Bodhi slips off his own jeans and kicks them to the floor.

“Any other complaints?..” Bodhi asks, pushing Luke back down so he can kiss him, hot and wet and probably a little too sloppy— Luke groans into his mouth, pushing his hips up, and Bodhi chokes back his own groan as their arousals grind together, easily feeling how hot and hard Luke is through the thin fabric still covering them both.

“Yeah, why aren’t you fucking me yet?..” Luke breathes into his mouth, his chest heaving as he continues to grind up against him, and Bodhi lets out a short, strained laugh, because that is a _great_ question. He starts to move down Luke’s body, placing wet, open-mouthed kisses on his neck, his collarbones, his chest— Luke whines a little, clutching at Bodhi’s shoulders and raking his short nails over his skin, before he moves them to Bodhi's hair, quickly pulling his bun free so he can tangle his fingers in the thick, damp strands.

Bodhi shivers a little as Luke’s nails graze against his scalp, biting at the underside of Luke’s ribcage sharp enough to make him gasp and whimper. “You _want_ me to fuck you?..” he asks, voice low, wanting to make sure, because while he prefers to top he doesn’t really _care—_

“I don’t think I’ve _ever_ wanted to be fucked more than I do right now..” Luke admits with a husky laugh, tugging at Bodhi’s hair in a way that does _not_ make Bodhi shudder with pleasure. Bodhi lifts his eyes, and Luke is biting his lip as he looks down at him from beneath his lashes, eyes dark and glazed with lust, looking _very_ much like sin incarnate as he smiles wickedly. “You _want_ to fuck me, don’t you? I'm pretty sure you’ve been thinking about just bending me over the nearest surface all _week_ —”

Bodhi surges up to kiss Luke harshly, because that kind of filth has _no_ right to be spilling out of his lips like that, _jesus christ_ — and he thought this kid was _wholesome_ — 

Bodhi hooks his fingers into the waistband of Luke’s boxer briefs, breaking away from Luke’s lips and leaning back as he pulls them down. Luke groans little as his cock finally springs free, and Bodhi immediately wraps his fingers around him, brushing his thumb teasingly just under the head— Luke lets out a harsh _“fuck”_ , his hips jerking, and Bodhi smirks as he squeezes him, loving the way he seems to fit perfectly in his palm.

“Would you get naked and _fuck me_ already? Jesus _Christ_..” Luke demands, back arching as Bodhi drags his thumb across the head of his cock, over the slit, spreading around the fluid already collecting there. Bodhi arches one eyebrow, enjoying it _far_ too much as Luke starts to squirm and writhe beneath him, biting at his lip. 

“You can call me Bodhi, actually.. “ Bodhi corrects, because he can't resist being a smartass even _now_ , and Luke smacks his shoulder with a sharp, strained laugh.

“You are the _worst_ —“ Luke starts, but the rest of what he was saying ends up as a surprised, strangled cry as Bodhi ducks down and runs his tongue along the underside of Luke’s shaft.

“What was that?” Bodhi hums, sliding his lips over the head of Luke’s cock, teasing him— Luke makes another strangled noise, both of his hands suddenly fisted in Bodhi’s hair, pulling it hard enough to make Bodhi groan, and the sound that Luke makes when Bodhi finally takes him into his mouth is the greatest thing Bodhi’s _ever_ heard.

“Oh, _fuck_..” Luke grits out, head thrown back, his chest heaving— “Use your.. “ he gasps, “Use your teeth, right.. right there, _shit_ , yes..” he moans loudly as Bodhi complies, and Bodhi has to hold Luke’s hips down as he tries to thrust up into his mouth, because he doesn't want to choke.

Bodhi hasn’t _done_ this for a while, but he does his best as he works Luke’s cock over for a minute, pulling out all his tricks, and judging from the very loud noises Luke is making, he’s doing _just fine_. He releases Luke’s cock from his mouth with a slightly obscene, wet sound, pulling away, and Luke whines, trying to pull him back.

“Fuck, no, _keep going_..” Luke pleads, and Bodhi crawls back up his body to kiss him, feeling just a little smug as Luke whines again.

“I’ve got something better in mind..” Bodhi whispers against Luke's lips, and Luke sucks in a sharp breath, his half-lidded eyes eager as Bodhi leans over and yanks open the drawer of his nightstand, looking for—

Bodhi pauses as he spots a brand new bottle of lube and box of condoms that _he_ certainly didn’t buy— it’s the really good, super slick stuff, too. There’s a post-it note on it with a heart, the ‘you’re welcome’ written inside it undeniably in Jyn’s hand-writing, and Bodhi bites the inside of his cheek, torn between laughing and being _horrified_ , because his best friend made time to give him _fancy lube and condoms_ as a gift. For fuck’s sake, he’s going to have to take her out to brunch _twice_ , now..

Bodhi flicks the post-it note off the bottle before grabbing it, opening his mouth to ask Luke how he wants to do this, but Luke’s already twisting beneath him, and Bodhi leans back, biting his lip as he watches his boyfriend roll onto his stomach, hitching himself up onto his knees, and _that_ is an image Bodhi isn’t going to forget any time soon.

“What, you need an invitation?” Luke asks, looking at him over his shoulder with a coy smirk that makes Bodhi’s cock twitch with anticipation. Bodhi settles behind him, gliding one hand over the smooth, lean planes of Luke’s back, down the firm curve of his ass, and Luke pushes back into his touch with an impatient sound. “Fuck, Bodhi, _come on_..”

“Bossy..” Bodhi snorts, leaning over to place a hot, wet kiss between Luke’s shoulder blades as he uncaps the lube. He nuzzles against Luke's skin, placing random kisses as he slicks his fingers with a very liberal amount of lube, then Luke is moaning as Bodhi starts to tease his fingers against his entrance—

“ _Finally_..” Luke groans sharply, dropping his head down against his arms and making a little gasping sound as Bodhi carefully works one finger into him. Bodhi grabs Luke’s hip with his other hand, keeping him from pushing back too much, not wanting Luke to hurt himself because he’s so damn _impatient._

“Relax..” Bodhi breathes against Luke’s skin, kissing at his shoulder, the back of his neck, as he carefully works another finger into him— Bodhi’s thinking he might need to do four, because Luke’s _tight_ , and although Bodhi isn’t huge by any means, he knows he’s not _small_ either—

“More..” Luke demands, panting and whimpering as he tries to push back, and Bodhi bites his lip, not complying immediately— Luke makes a frustrated, almost desperate sound, fisting his hands in the sheets. “Fuck, _more_ , come on..”

Bodhi slips a third finger into him, and Luke moans with satisfaction, arching his back as Bodhi thrusts and continues to work him open carefully. “ _Yes_.. “ Luke breathes out, biting his lip, and Bodhi loosens his grip on his hip a little, letting him push back, and the sight of Luke fucking himself on Bodhi’s fingers is something that’s going to be burned into his memory for a _long_ time. Forever, possibly. Hopefully. 

Bodhi bites down on Luke’s shoulder as he curls his fingers, and Luke makes a very sharp, impatient whine is his throat, gasping, “ _Fuck_ , I’m ready, _I’m ready_ , come on!..”

Bodhi isn’t sure if that’s true, but his own cock is so hard it’s starting to get painful, and if Luke _says_ he’s ready— he slips his fingers out of him, hastily leaning back to drag his own boxers off and kick them aside. “Flip over, I wanna see you..” Bodhi orders, surprised by how rough his voice is, and Luke complies eagerly as Bodhi grabs the lube again.

“You want me to use a condom, or?..” Bodhi asks, voice a little unsteady as he snaps the bottle open, and Luke groans, shakes his head as he slides one leg around Bodhi’s hips.

“No, I trust you.. now _hurry up_..” Luke pants, trying to pull him closer— Bodhi sucks in a sharp breath as he settles between Luke’s thighs, hissing a little as he slicks his cock with a very generous amount of lube, and Luke is trembling a little in anticipation as he watches, lips parted, chest heaving—

“Fuck, Bodhi, _please_..” Luke whines, and Bodhi swallows hard, his own chest heaving as hitches Luke’s hips up and presses against him, nudging carefully against his entrance— then he's biting down on his lip hard enough to nearly break the skin as he pushes into Luke’s body slowly, taking his time, because _fuck_ he’s tight, and he doesn't want to hurt him—

Luke’s strangled sound of pleasure is absolutely _delicious_ — he hooks his legs around Bodhi’s waist, trying to pull him forward more, so impatient— “ _Fuck_ , yes..” Luke moans, voice tight and breathless, tossing his head back as Bodhi finally bottoms out. 

“ _Fuck_ , Luke..” Bodhi moans loudly, breathing hard as he doubles over so he can kiss his boyfriend messily, all tongue and teeth and desperation, because Luke feels _so good_ , better than he could have imagined— Luke bucks his hips, and Bodhi thrusts on reflex, wringing a sharp groan out of Luke’s throat.

“Fuck me..” Luke demands, voice gone rough, bucking his hips again as he claws his fingers over Bodhi’s sides, and Bodhi is all too happy to comply, sliding out almost all the way before snapping his hips forward and driving into Luke's body again, loving the way he cries out. Luke is _noisy_ as Bodhi picks up a rough, deliberate pace, moaning and whining and cursing as he tosses his head back, and Bodhi takes the opportunity to attack his neck yet again, biting down on one of the marks he’d made earlier—

“Harder!” Luke gasps, fisting one hand in Bodhi’s hair and pulling— Bodhi grunts loudly, hooking one of Luke’s thighs over his arm for more leverage as he thrusts harder, but Luke isn’t satisfied, his cries rising to a sharper pitch, more demanding— “ _Harder_ , fuck.. I’m not gonna break!..”

“Fuck, you’re bossy..” Bodhi hisses, hooking Luke’s other thigh over his other arm and shifting him around, trying to get better leverage— Luke groans and rakes his short nails sharply over Bodhi’s back in a way that is absolutely going to leave marks, staring up at Bodhi from beneath his lashes as he smirks.

“Well maybe if you’d _fuck me_ right..” Luke pants, eyes flashing with challenge, and oh, that _little fucking_ — if he doesn’t want to walk right tomorrow, or _walk at all_ , that is _more_ than fine with Bodhi. 

“You want harder? _Fine_.. ” Bodhi grunts, finally getting his footing— he drops one of Luke’s legs in favor of grabbing a fistful of his hair, using _that_ for leverage as he drives into Luke’s body harder, with everything he has, his other arm shoving Luke's leg higher, the new angle letting Bodhi slide a little deeper— and the loud, indecent cry Luke lets out makes Bodhi _very_ glad the apartment is empty as he moans loudly in reply. “Hard enough.. for you?..”

Luke seems to have lost the ability to form words for the moment and whines loudly instead, making all kinds of wonderful noises as Bodhi pounds him relentlessly into the bed. Bodhi presses his face against Luke’s neck, breathing hard as he tries to keep his pace, biting harshly at Luke's skin— he won’t be able to keep it up much longer, it’s too good, he feels like he’s going to fucking _die_ from pleasure, how is Luke even _real_ —

“ _Bodhi_.. “ Luke’s voice is wrecked, pleading, and Bodhi can feel him starting to tremble— “I’m.. I need.. _fuck_ , touch me, _please_..”

Bodhi curses as he releases Luke’s hair, reaching between them to fist his hand around Luke’s cock instead, pumping him roughly— Luke makes an absolutely spectacular noise of ecstasy, bucking his hips, and then he’s shouting Bodhi’s name as he comes, looking absolutely _gorgeous_ , and Bodhi groans loudly, suddenly clutching at Luke’s thighs as his own thrusts grow sharper and shorter, his body feeling tight as he struggles to breathe—

Bodhi is pretty sure he sees _God_ when he comes, Luke’s name escaping his throat in a strangled cry— Luke moans and whimpers breathlessly beneath Bodhi, pulling him down, holding his face in his hands as he kisses him, their breath mixing together in harsh pants. They’re both trembling, and Bodhi feels a little dizzy as buries his face against Luke’s neck, still breathing hard, just savoring everything about this moment as he collapses against his _gorgeous, perfect, beautiful boyfriend_ —

“Fuck..” Luke whispers, still a little breathless as he presses a kiss to Bodhi’s damp hair. Bodhi grunts softly in agreement, because that was— Bodhi’s had a decent amount of sex, but none if it has ever been _close_ to that. Bodhi doesn’t want to move, but he should, so he presses a kiss to Luke’s sweaty skin before he heaves himself up on slightly shaky arms-- Luke breathes in sharply, shifting his hips, and Bodhi realizes he’s still inside him— he pulls out carefully, noticing the way Luke winces, and snorts softly.

“You _said_ harder..” Bodhi mutters, slightly amused as he leans down to press a soft kiss to Luke’s lips, and Luke grins lazily as he pushes his sweaty hair off his forehead.

“You delivered.” Luke agrees, looking _very_ pleased and completely fucked out- a very good look for him, in Bodhi's opinion. Luke glances down as he shifts himself up onto one elbow, eyeing the sticky mess currently smeared over them both, blushing just a bit. “Um.. you got something I can-?..”

Bodhi leans over the side of the bed, his muscles burning with protest, and grabs a shirt off the floor. “Here..” he smirks, handing it Luke, who takes it with a sheepish grin and uses it to clean himself up as best as he can. Bodhi grabs another shirt and does the same for himself, tossing both of them into his hamper when they’re done and reminding himself to do laundry tomorrow, and maybe invest in some more towels for the future. 

“Much better..” Luke hums, reaching out for him again, and Bodhi lets himself be pulled down for another slow, lazy kiss. Luke sighs contentedly as he pushes Bodhi down on his back, so he can lay against him, tangling their legs together as he rubs his cheek against Bodhi’s beard. “That was fucking _amazing_..”

“Yeah..” Bodhi agrees, smiling as he threads his fingers through Luke’s hair, rubbing gently at his scalp. Luke hums with pleasure, tucking his face against Bodhi’s shoulder, and Bodhi can feel him smiling against his skin.

“I _really_ like you.. more than I’ve ever liked anyone, I think.. ” Luke whispers sleepily, tracing his fingertips over Bodhi’s tattoo. Bodhi shivers, his mouth suddenly going dry, chest aching sharply, because he knows, he _knows_ in that exact moment—

“I.. I do, too.. “ Bodhi whispers back, pressing his lips to Luke’s hair as he closes his eyes. Luke smiles against his skin again, making a soft, sleepy sound, and Bodhi hugs him closer as he stares up at the ceiling, biting his lip, because the sudden ache in his chest is warm and fragile like a bird fluttering its wings, and he _knows_ what it means—

Bodhi is very much starting to fall in love with Luke Skywalker, and he _wants it._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I seriously just write a chapter of almost 100% smut? I'll just.. be over.. there.. in the corner.. _don'tlookatme._
> 
>  
> 
> Here's a Spotify [Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/user/attackedastoria/playlist/5L3KkgJrPZz3wRQiMGKskz) of Bodhi's Totally-Getting-Laid mix. If you only listen to one song from it, I would suggest Inertia Creeps by Massive Attack, personally..


	15. This Is For Real

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keep it.. it looks better on you.

 

 

When Bodhi wakes up, Luke is curled up against his back, one arm slung around his waist, snoring very softly against his hair. He smiles, not wanting to move, and glances over at the clock on his desk, squinting at it blearily. It’s a little past ten, later than he usually sleeps on his off days. Luke snuffles against him, squeezing his waist, and Bodhi very carefully turns over so he can face him— his eyes linger on Luke’s face, committing it to memory -he looks even younger, asleep like this, and Bodhi sighs as he leans in to kiss his forehead.

“Hey.. time to wake up, sleeping beauty..” Bodhi murmurs, nuzzling at Luke's cheek and placing a kiss on his jawline. Luke makes a soft, sleepy sound, pressing towards him, seeking his lips, and Bodhi smirks a bit as he kisses him softly. “C’mon, sunshine..”

Luke groans softly, stretching out against him and shoving his face into Bodhi’s shoulder. “Too comfy.. kiss me some more and I’ll think about it..” he mumbles, and Bodhi laughs, starting to place kisses across his jaw as Luke hums with pleasure.

“C’mon, I told Jyn and Cassian I’d take them out for brunch.. you wanna come?” Bodhi asks, nipping very gently at the spot just below Luke's ear. Luke finally opens his eyes, tilting his head to look up at him from beneath his lashes, and Bodhi’s breath nearly catches at how damn _beautiful_ he looks right then. It’s not fair.

“Pancakes?..” Luke asks hopefully, rolling onto his back and scrubbing at his face with one hand as he stretches again. Bodhi snorts as he pushes himself to sit up, stretching his arms over his head— he’s a little sore from so much activity, but he doubts he’s as sore as _Luke_ probably is—

“Whatever you want, sunshine.” Bodhi tells him, and Luke grins, starting to push himself up— the grin promptly fades as he hisses a little bit, easing himself up just a bit more _tenderly_ , and Bodhi smirks. 

“Something wrong?” Bodhi asks, schooling his face into a picture of innocence— Luke glares without any heat behind it, smacking his boyfriend in the shoulder.

“Shut up.” Luke mutters, hiding a smile as he rakes his tousled hair out of his face— Bodhi eyes Luke’s neck, which is absolutely covered in dark marks, and bites his lip against a grin.

“You might need to borrow a scarf from Jyn..” he muses, but to his surprise, Luke smirks, arching one eyebrow at him.

“I think I’ll show these ones off..” Luke murmurs, leaning over for a kiss, and Bodhi does _not_ feel a wave of satisfaction or possessiveness, because that would be _wrong_. He kisses Luke again before leaning back, kicking the blankets away so he can climb out of bed.

“Shower?” Bodhi asks, pulling on his boxers from last night— Bodhi still feels slightly sticky with sweat and other things, and knows they both probably reek of sex. Luke nods, eyeing Bodhi’s back as he turns, a smirk tugging at his lips.

“You look like you were attacked by a cat..” Luke observes, gingerly pushing himself out of bed so he can touch the bright red scratches on Bodhi’s back. Bodhi snorts, tossing a pair of his boxers in Luke’s face.

“Yeah, a loud, blonde, _bossy_ cat.” he says, and Luke scoffs as he slips the boxers on.

“I’m not _bossy_..” he protests, catching the towel Bodhi tosses at him. Bodhi arches an eyebrow as he picks up another towel, moving towards the door.

“Right..” Bodhi drawls, then cracks the door, glancing out and listening— if anyone is up yet, they’re still in their rooms, thankfully. Bodhi motions for Luke to follow him, and he’s glad his room is next to the bathroom for once as they both slip inside, making sure to lock the door. The curtain is wet when he draws it back to start the shower, meaning Jyn and Cassian are awake, but were kind enough to stay in Cassian’s room until Bodhi and Luke woke up, so they didn’t get caught doing their little walk of shame. How thoughtful.

“Jesus, Bodhi, this is gonna take fucking weeks to fade..” Luke mutters, looking at his neck in the mirror over the sink, tracing his fingers over the dark marks on his skin. Bodhi smirks as he comes up behind him, dropping a kiss on Luke’s shoulder.

“That’s kind of the point..” Bodhi muses, tilting his head to the side a little— he has a few marks on his own neck, but his hair mostly covers them when its down. Bodhi reaches around his boyfriend to grab his toothbrush, flipping open the mirror to grab the toothpaste, and Luke moves out of his way so he can brush his teeth— he offers his toothbrush to Luke when he’s done, and Luke blinks, surprised.

“Seriously, I had your dick in my mouth last night, I don’t think it gets more intimate than that..” Bodhi arches an eyebrow, amused, and Luke snorts as he takes the toothbrush with a grin. 

“True.” Luke admits, and Bodhi goes to test the water as Luke quickly brushes his teeth— he hopes Luke doesn’t mind it on the higher side of _lava_ , since that’s Bodhi’s preferred shower temperature. He slips his boxers off before climbing in, hissing slightly as the water hits his skin, and eases under the spray, closing his eyes as he slicks his hair back out of his face.

Luke climbs in a second later, pressing up against his back, and Bodhi turns, grinning as he leans in for a wet a kiss, grabbing Luke’s hips to pulls him under the hot spray of water. Luke hisses a little before relaxing as he adjusts to the temperature.

“Christ.. how do you still have skin left?” Luke laughs, slicking his own hair out of his face. Bodhi smirks and shrugs one shoulder, before nodding at the wall behind Luke. 

“Pick your poison.” he says, and Luke half turns, eyes wide when he sees the giant collection of bottles lining the wall.

“Is this why you smell different every day?” Luke laughs again, starting to look through the collection. “Are all these yours, or?..”

“Cassian’s, believe it or not. And Jyn’s. They don’t care if I use them.” Bodhi smirks, watching as Luke snickers a little.

“Unbelievable.. ” Luke muses, finally selecting a bottle of shampoo— strawberry, Bodhi notes as he takes the bottle. Of course. He closes his eyes and lathers some into his hair, making sure to scrub it well since it was particularly sweaty last night, and ducks his head back under the spray to rinse off. 

“Your turn.” Bodhi tells Luke when he’s done, slicking his hair back once again as he trades places with him— Bodhi grabs a bottle of Jyn’s conditioner, because his hair will be one giant knot if he doesn’t use it, and carefully works some of it through his hair as Luke scrubs his own hair.

Bodhi picks out a bottle of mango scented soap, since fruit seems to be today’s theme— Luke smirks when he turns back around, looking at him coyly with water droplets clinging to his lashes, and reaches out to pull Bodhi underneath the water again.

“Let me help you with that..”

 

————

 

Twenty minutes and two hand jobs later, Bodhi and Luke manage to sneak back to Bodhi’s room without being seen again— Bodhi is going to have to send Jyn and Cassian a fruit basket, because there is _no way_ they did not hear Luke moaning in the shower, that loud little shit.

Luke’s clothes are still fairly damp from the rain last night after laying in a pile on the floor all night, so Bodhi tells him he can borrow some clothes if he wants. Luke’s face lights up, and Bodhi somehow doubts he is ever going to get whatever clothes Luke decides to take back. 

Bodhi pulls on a fresh pair of boxers and his favorite torn up jeans as Luke sorts through his closet, unable to stop smiling— it’s weird, to feel so happy without the usual edge of panic, but he certainly isn’t going to _complain_ about it. Bodhi reaches around Luke to grab a random shirt— Bayside, his closet decides —and pulls it on before going to comb his hair. 

Luke ends up stealing one of his Taking Back Sunday tees, a pair of old jeans, and one of his favorite, well worn flannel shirts. Bodhi watches from the corner of his eye as Luke rolls the sleeves up, and admits to himself that seeing Luke wearing his clothes is a _very_ nice sight indeed. 

“You ready? I’m starving..” Luke asks, smiling over at him, and Bodhi nods as he grabs an elastic off his desk, quickly twisting his damp hair up into a messy bun.

“You’re always starving..” Bodhi quickly grabs his dark red hoodie off the back of his desk chair, pulling it on as he goes to kiss Luke, who hums happily against his lips.

“I like this shirt, it’s soft..” Luke murmurs, and Bodhi bites his lip as he straightens out the collar for him— blue is definitely Luke’s color, he decides. 

“Keep it.. it looks better on you.” Bodhi tells him, and Luke smiles bright as the sun, eyes shining as he pulls Bodhi in for another, deeper kiss— yeah, it _definitely_ looks better on him.

 

————

 

Bodhi smells coffee when he opens the door to his bedroom, and Jyn and Cassian are both in the kitchen, now, having deemed it safe to come out. Jyn grins at them with barely contained glee, her green eyes damn near sparkling.

“Well, _hello_ , Luke.. fancy seeing you here.” she says, and Bodhi gives her a _‘cut it out, you’re an idiot’_ look as Luke blushes a little bit. Cassian, to his credit, smirks at the two of them but says nothing, returning to reading his paper.

“Hey.. morning, guys. Er.. afternoon, I guess.” Luke grins, rubbing at the back of his neck, a little shy and awkward. Jyn’s gaze flicks to Luke’s neck, and both of her eyebrows shoot up in surprise as she sees the marks there.

“You want an icepack?” she asks, amused, turning around as the kettle starts to whistle on the stove. Luke blushes again, and Cassian chuckles as he sips his coffee. 

“Uh.. no, thanks, I’m good.” Luke gives Bodhi a sideways look, glaring just a bit, and Bodhi shrugs— hey, he _offered_ to find him a scarf. Jyn is smirking when she turns around, setting a mug of milky coffee and a cup of breakfast blend tea on the island counter for each of them. 

“You like milk or sugar for your tea, Luke?” Jyn asks, and Luke blinks before smiling and leaning against the island.

“Both, please.” he tells her, and Bodhi can tell he’s starting to relax, now— Jyn smiles as she sets the milk and sugar on the counter for him along with a spoon, and Bodhi picks up his coffee, taking a sip as Luke fixes his tea the way he wants it.

“You guys still want brunch?” Bodhi asks, and Jyn arches an eyebrow as Cassian grins.

“Why _else_ do you think I’m up this early on my day off?” Jyn snorts, making Luke laugh. Cassian gets up from the kitchen table, going to put his empty mug in the sink, pressing a kiss to the top of Jyn’s head on the way.

“We gonna go to Maz’s?” Cassian asks, and Bodhi shrugs one shoulder as he takes a large gulp of his coffee, burning his mouth just a bit.

“Unless you have somewhere else in mind?” Bodhi arches an eyebrow, and Cassian and Jyn both shake their heads— no one did breakfast like Maz or Poe, so why bother. 

“Maz’s is fine, I could go for some pie.” Cassian smiles, leaning against the counter and crossing his arms over his chest. He eyes Luke her a moment, lingering on his neck, and arches one eyebrow. “Purple’s a good color on you, Luke.”

Luke almost chokes on his tea, and Bodhi bites back a grin as Jyn laughs hysterically and leans up to kiss her boyfriend’s cheek.

 

————

 

It’s sunny and pleasant out, surprisingly, so the walk over the Maz’s is nice. Jyn does her absolute best not to titter with happiness as Luke and Bodhi hold hands on the way, because it is the most adorable thing she has _ever_ seen, and she will never get over it.

The diner’s mildly busy when they get there, people coming in for a late breakfast or an early lunch— Finn waves at them as they head to an unoccupied booth, telling them he’ll be over in a second. Maz is busy covering the counter, and Rey is currently running dishes into the back and cleaning off tables, but she shoots them a smile and a wave all the same.

Bodhi slides in to the booth next to Luke, flipping the mug in front of him right-side up as usual— hopefully Rey didn’t make the coffee today, because it somehow manages to be even _worse_ than Poe’s when she does. He doesn’t want to imagine how that’s even possible. Cassian flips his mug as well, and Jyn and Luke push theirs aside.

“Since you’re buying, I can get anything I want, right?” Jyn smirks, flipping through the menu— Bodhi rolls his eyes, but nods, because he _does_ owe her after last night.

“I’m gonna need to clean Wedge out at poker again after this..” Bodhi mutters, and beside him, Luke snorts.

“How’d you get so good at poker?” Luke asks, curious, and Cassian grins as he leans back against the booth, sliding one arm around Jyn’s shoulders.

“He won’t tell anyone, but my theory is that he was part of a huge casino heist.” Cassian answers for Bodhi, nodding solemnly, and Bodhi lets his head fall back against the booth with a sigh.

“You need to stop watching Ocean’s Eleven.” Bodhi tells his friend, and Cassian smirks as he shrugs one shoulder. Bodhi turns his attention to Luke, who looks very amused. “I just used to play a lot, when I was in high school.. only thing I was really good at.”

“That and music.” Jyn interjects, eyes still on her menu. She looks thoughtful for a moment. “And almost crashing your car into the quarry.”

“That was _one time_ —“ Bodhi glares, leaning forward and pointing a finger in her face— Jyn and Cassian both laugh, and Luke looks at him with wide eyes.

“You almost _crashed your car_ into a quarry?” Luke asks, sounding like he doesn’t believe that at all. 

“I did _not_ , Jyn is exaggerating—“ Bodhi groans, but Jyn interrupts him again, smirking as she rests her chin on her palm.

“He spun out on some gravel when he was racing someone.” Jyn offers, arching one eyebrow. “You’re lucky they’d just put that new guardrail up..”

“You used to race cars?” Luke interjects, eyes going wide once again, excitement coloring his tone. Bodhi ignores him and points at Jyn again.

“Hey, that wasn’t even my _fault_ , Hux fucking tried to spin me out because he’s a _dick_ and can’t win without cheating.” Bodhi reminds her, and Jyn rolls her eyes. Bodhi snorts as he leans back against the booth again, crossing his arms over his chest. “I still _won_ that fucking race, so a lot of good it did him in the end.”

“Oh, yes, that’s all that matters..” Jyn scoffs, rolling her eyes to the heavens as she tosses her hands up in exasperation— Cassian snickers, and Luke is still staring at Bodhi his mouth hanging open slightly. 

“Hey, that race helped pay for your guitar, you ungrateful brat..” Bodhi mutters, and Jyn snorts, trying not to smile all of a sudden, because it was true. Luke opens his mouth to try and say something again, but before he can, Finn swings by their table, pouring coffee for Bodhi and Cassian as he grins.

“Hey, guys! Sorry about the wait..” Finn apologizes, setting the pot down on the table so he can grab his notepad. “Y’all havin’ a good day so far?”

“It’d be better if I didn’t have to drink this shit Poe calls coffee.” Bodhi tells him blandly, and Finn cracks up as Cassian snorts in agreement. Bodhi reaches for the cream, but Luke is already sliding it over to him with a smirk, his eyes dancing with mirth.

“Hey, I don’t _force_ you to drink that stuff, man.” Finn chuckles, arching one eyebrow. “You guys know what you want?”

Jyn orders double belgian waffles with ice cream and a side of bacon, while Cassian decides to go with a chorizo omelette and extra hash browns. Finn jots it down with a smile before turning to Bodhi and arching an eyebrow playfully. “You want your usual, buddy?”

Bodhi makes a thoughtful sound, considering it, and shakes his head. “Tell Poe to surprise me.” he says, taking a sip of his coffee, and Finn grins.

“Oh, boy, I can’t _wait_ to see this shit..” he mutters, shaking his head. Finn looks to Luke next, grinning. “What about you, sunshine?”

Luke looks thoughtful for a moment before he grins and shrugs one shoulder. “Tell him to surprise me, too.”

Finn laughs, shaking his head again as he notes it down. “Adventurous, I like it.. I’ll make sure he doesn’t poison anything, don’t worry.” he winks, and then he’s off to the next table. 

Bodhi smirks as he sips his coffee, giving Luke a sideways look. “You know he’s just going to give you something covered entirely in strawberries, right?..”

Luke looks incredibly excited at the prospect as he grins, his blue eyes bright as the sky outside. “I _know_.”

 

————

 

Bodhi prepares for the worst when Finn comes around with their food, wondering why on earth he’d decided to give Poe free reign over something he had to _eat_. Not his smartest decision, in hindsight.

He braces himself as Finn sets a plate in front of him— and proceeds to blink down at it. It’s a harmless, _delicious_ looking plate of french toast, stuffed with some kind of chocolate filling, drizzled with more chocolate, and topped with powdered sugar. What the hell?

Finn grins as Bodhi looks up at him suspiciously. “It’s not poisoned, I promise!”

Bodhi isn’t entirely sure he _believes_ that. Finn smirks suddenly, leaning over to set Luke’s plate down, and Bodhi glances over at it curiously— a plate of french toast like his own, though very obviously strawberry themed, with the addition of—

“Jesus _christ_..” Luke mutters, turning bright red as he drops his face into his palm— Bodhi can’t help himself as he laughs _hysterically_. Jyn and Cassian lean over, curious, and Jyn loses it, falling back against her seat as she joins Bodhi in laughter, while Cassian settles for smirking.

Written on the edge of Luke’s plate, in strawberry sauce, is the celebratory message of _‘congrats on the sex!’_ , complete with a winky face.

“How does he _know_..” Luke hisses quietly, refusing to take his face out of his hand. Bodhi snorts softly as he starts to cut into his french toast, shrugging one shoulder.

“Probably because you were _limping_ a little when you came in.”

That draws a laugh out of Cassian, and sets Jyn off again— Luke groans and sinks down in his seat, while Bodhi simply smiles and enjoys his delicious french toast. When he glances towards the kitchen, Poe shoots him a grin and a thumbs up through the window, and for the first time _ever_ , Bodhi smirks and returns the gesture.

 

————

 

They manage to get through brunch without further embarrassment— Luke asks Bodhi about his racing days from highschool, which he’s more than happy to talk about, along with the other trouble he tended to get into with Jyn. 

“You broke a kid’s nose when you were eight?” Luke laughs, one eyebrow arched in curiosity. Bodhi leans over to steal a strawberry off his plate as Jyn smirks and works on finishing her last waffle.

“Yep. Fucking Ren.. “ she scowls, shaking her head as she spears a piece of waffle on her fork rather viciously. “He was always a dick, even when we were little.”

“She broke his nose _again_ in tenth grade.” Bodhi offers, smirking just a little. Jyn tilts her chin up, looking almost proud.

“He shouldn’t have called you that _word_.” she declares, voice slightly vicious. Bodhi smiles a little, ducking his head down as he picks at the rest of his french toast. Jyn always was overprotective— it was one of the many qualities he loved about her. Jyn knew Bodhi could handle himself, but she didn’t tolerate _anyone_ saying a bad word about her best friend, she hadn’t since they were kids.

“What word?” Luke arches an eyebrow, head tilted curiously. Jyn’s face darkens, and Bodhi snorts as he reaches for his coffee.

“Ren’s a bit of a homophobe, so use your imagination.” Bodhi tells Luke, tone dry, and Luke frowns, jabbing at a strawberry with his fork particularly hard.

“Well, fuck _that_ guy.” Luke mutters, and Bodhi smiles a bit as he leans over to kiss his cheek— Luke smiles brightly in return and offers him the last strawberry, which Bodhi gladly accepts, along with a kiss.

Jyn’s dark demeanor melts into a pleased smile as she watches them, her eyes going soft— Bodhi looks so happy that it nearly makes her heart sing. God, she's been waiting for him to happy likes this for ages, it's almost surreal. Jyn makes a happy sound as she shoves another bite of waffle in her mouth, looking thoughtful for a moment. 

If Luke _ever_ hurts Bodhi, Jyn will take great pleasure in dismembering him- she knows Cassian will even help her hide the body parts, because he's sweet like that.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My soft boys are back. <3
> 
> I've added another oneshot further expanding on how Bodhi/Wedge met! It's, uh.. it sure is interesting, I'll say that much. {cough] Please feel free to go check it out!


	16. Heart Transplant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You can always come over, sunshine.
> 
>  
> 
> Another M warning for this chapter! Yeah, that's gonna happen a lot, from now on.

 

 

Cassian books the show at Kyber the following week, and gives Bodhi the details- they’ll be headlining again, with a few other bands supporting them this time, as part of a local community kind of event. All the proceeds are going to be donated to a music program for disadvantaged youths, which Bodhi is more than happy to contribute to.

Luke is thrilled when Bodhi tells him, because he’s _Rogue One’s_ newest and biggest fan, apparently.

“I’ll be right up front this time.” Luke promises, grinning brightly as he looks up from his notebook— he’s currently half sprawled across Bodhi’s lap on the couch in the apartment, working on some composition coursework while Bodhi tries to work out a setlist. Bodhi smiles and leans over to kiss him quickly— Luke’s been coming over more and more, hanging out and spending the night more often than not. Bodhi certainly doesn’t mind, and none of his roommates seem to care, so—

“You just want Bodhi to sweat all over you while he sings.” Jyn teases from the kitchen, where she’s currently making a huge pot of marinara sauce for dinner. Luke grins, ducking his head almost bashfully and scribbling in his notebook, while Bodhi snorts softly.

“He can have _that_ whenever he wants it..” Bodhi mutters, smirking just a bit as Luke kicks him playfully. He’s not wrong, because they usually _both_ end up a sweaty mess any time Luke sleeps over—

“Hot.” Jyn grins, tasting the sauce before grabbing a few spices from the rack on the counter. “You staying for dinner, Luke?”

Luke looks up from his notebook and smiles over at Jyn, absently tapping his pen against the page of music he’s working on. “I’d love to, if you don’t mind..”

Jyn shoots him a grin over her shoulder, one eyebrow arched. “When have I _ever_ minded? You’re so good at tormenting Kay, you’re welcome at my damn dinner table any time..”

Luke laughs, turning his attention back to his work, and Bodhi smiles to himself as he scratches a few songs down into his own notebook. Luke was welcome to stay here forever, as far as he was concerned. That thought should probably scare Bodhi a little more than it does.

 

————

 

Bodhi gets an _idea_ later that week, and decides to approach Jyn about it first, because he trusts her, and he wants to make sure he’s not being an idiot. Jyn looks at him like he’s an absolutely precious treasure after he manages to explain what he wants to do, leaning her chin on her hands as she leans over the kitchen table.

“You _really_ like him, don’t you.” Jyn says, her eyes soft, and Bodhi looks down at the table as he bites his lip. 

“Yeah.. I do.” he admits, though if he’s being honest, it’s starting to go beyond that— every time Bodhi wakes up with Luke curled up against his body, every time Luke smiles, laughs, every time Bodhi so much as breathes in the pure _sunlight_ that Luke seems to radiate— he falls a little deeper.

Jyn smiles at Bodhi, slow and understanding,and reaches out to lay one of her hands over his, squeezing it gently. “It’s cute.. Cassian will love it, and even if Kay bitches, he’ll fall in line. It’s not a hard song to learn, two weeks is plenty of time.”

Bodhi lets out a relieved sigh and squeezes her hand in return before leaning back in his chair— he still feels a little silly, but he wants to do _something_ for Luke, to show him he’s serious about all this, and this is the only thing his brain could manage to think of—

“You really _do_ like him.” Jyn interrupts his thoughts, smirking as she rises from her chair. “You fucking _hate_ New Found Glory.”

 

————

 

As predicted, Cassian loves the idea and agrees to it happily— Kay bitches and moans but finally agrees when Bodhi promises him that they can cover something by the Foo Fighters next time. 

It’s not a hard song to learn, not at all, and as much as he dislikes New Found Glory, it’s refreshing to play, a little outside of his comfort zone. Bodhi finds himself humming the song at work, going over it in his head, fingers plucking out invisible guitar chords during class and at work— 

Bodhi keeps the setlist hidden from Luke, despite his boyfriend’s constant badgering. 

“You’re seriously not gonna tell me?” Luke asks one night, just shy of whining— Bodhi smirks, rolling over on top of Luke and kissing him sweetly, eyes lingering on the way his boyfriend’s gold hair fans out like a halo on the pillow.

“It’s a surprise.. you’ll like it.”

 

————

 

Two weeks pass by surprisingly quick— between class, work, practice, and Luke, there’s not much room for anything else. Bodhi doesn’t particular mind. 

It’s starting to get colder now that they’ve moved into November, and Bodhi is _incredibly_ amused by Luke’s less than favorable reaction to the weather. 

“Remind me again why I wanted to go to school in the midwest?” Luke mutters, rubbing his hands together as he waits for Bodhi to make his chai latte. He’s traded his obnoxious yellow jacket for a a thick, very retro quilted puffer jacket in a _terrifying_ combination of orange, yellow, and navy— Bodhi has no idea where Luke finds this shit, but he has money on a time machine that only travels to the 80’s and Wedge’s closet. 

“Because you were tired of looking at sand?” Bodhi suggests, arching an eyebrow as he proceeds to make a snowflake in Luke’s latte. Luke snorts and rolls his eyes.

“Well, yeah.. I didn’t think it’d be _this_ cold, though..” Luke sighs, and Bodhi actually laughs at that, because Luke has _no idea._

“It’s not even real winter yet.. it hasn’t even snowed.” Bodhi smirks, shaking his head— when he brings Luke his latte, Luke looks both intrigued and filled with dread. “Wait.. have you ever _seen_ snow?”

“Do you _seriously_ think it snows in the middle of the fucking Arizona desert?” Luke retorts, both eyebrows shooting up— Bodhi laughs, shrugging one shoulder.

“Guess not.. you’re in for a treat, then.” Bodhi grins, leaning over the counter to kiss his boyfriend— Bodhi’s mind is suddenly filled with the image of Luke’s golden hair dusted with snowflakes, his cheeks pink from the cold, and he has to struggle to keep his breath from faltering, because that is quite the mental image. Luke hums happily as he leans in for another kiss, and he’s smiling when they break apart, his eyes bright.

“Speaking of treats.. can I come over tonight?” Luke asks, and Bodhi lets himself smile a little as he reaches out flick a stray strand of hair out of Luke’s eyes.

“You can always come over, sunshine.”

Luke’s delighted grin makes Bodhi feel so good for the rest of the day, that he even manages to _smile_ at Han when he comes in to order a triple. Han looks mildly terrified, but doesn’t comment.

 

————

 

Luke does come over later that night, after they both finish with their classes— they spend some time on the couch doing coursework, while Cassian makes enchiladas for dinner. Jyn has a late lecture, so they end up eating with Cassian and Kay at the table, and then Cassian is off to pick Jyn up, and Kay is off to the library, leaving just the two of them _alone—_

“Fuck..” Bodhi breathes out roughly, absolutely captivated by the sight of Luke astride his hips, riding Bodhi like he was _made_ to do so. Luke moans loudly, his head tipped back as he drives himself down on Bodhi’s cock, the muscles in his arms corded as he braces his hands against the wall behind Bodhi’s bed for leverage.

“ _God_ , Bodhi.. so fucking good..” Luke moans again, forcing his eyes open as he tips his head down so he can look at his boyfriend, and the fever bright haze of pleasure in Luke’s blue eyes nearly does Bodhi in right there.

“How the _fuck_ are you so beautiful..” Bodhi grits out, voice rough, because he honestly can’t _believe_ how he got so lucky— he tightens his grip on Luke’s hips, thrusting up to meet him harder, and Luke lets out a strangled sound of pleasure as he gasps.

“Fucking hell.. _more_..” Luke demands, practically whining now, his nails scraping across the wall as he drops his hips down faster, and Bodhi pushes himself up so he can fist one hand in Luke’s hair.

“ _So_ fucking gorgeous..” Bodhi grunts, pulling Luke’s head back roughly so he can bite at the underside of his jaw— Luke whines sharply, his mouth falling open as he makes all kinds of delicious noises, and Bodhi is completely and utterly _positive_ that it’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen, watching Luke like this. He wraps his other hand around Luke’s cock, pumping it roughly as he bites down hard on his shoulder, and Luke cries out loudly, hands abandoning the wall so he can clutch at Bodhi’s shoulders instead, riding him harder, faster, as he curses and whimpers—

Bodhi comes first, because it’s just _too much_ — he moans almost brokenly against Luke’s throat, struggling to breathe right as he pumps into him, and then Luke is coming right behind Bodhi with a sharp shout, and Bodhi groans as he feels him spill against his skin, hot and wet, as they both tremble against each other—

Luke collapses against him, breathing hard, and Bodhi promptly falls back against the sheets, smoothing his slightly shaking hands over Luke’s sweaty, heated skin as they both try to catch their breath. Luke pushes his face against Bodhi’s neck, still breathing hard, and hums contentedly as he kisses at his skin.

“That was _so_ good..” Luke murmurs dazedly against Bodhi’s ear, and Bodhi grins lazily, tilting his face so he can press a kiss to Luke’s damp hair.

“You should ride me more often..” Bodhi mutters, closing his eyes as he replays the image in his head, “By more often, I mean all the time, just so I can _watch_ you..”

“Bodhi, _seriously_..” Luke blushes, sounding just a little flustered as he pushes himself up on one elbow— Bodhi slips one hand into Luke’s hair and gently pulls him in for a slow, lingering kiss, enjoying the soft, sweet sound Luke makes in the back of his throat.

“You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.. I mean it.” Bodhi murmurs, because its _true_ — Luke bites his lip, his blue eyes intense as he stares at Bodhi, and he looks like he wants to say something for a moment before he decides to kiss Bodhi again instead.

“Thank you..” Luke smiles against Bodhi’s lips, brushing his thumb over the line of Bodhi’s beard tenderly, and Bodhi smiles in return as he pulls Luke in for another kiss. Luke pulls away after a moment, wincing a little as he pulls off of Bodhi and rolls onto his side, and Bodhi leans over to grab a towel off the floor so they can both clean off.

 

Twenty minutes later, Bodhi is curled around Luke, listening to the soft sound of his breathing as he traces his fingers over Luke’s hipbone— he closes his eyes, chasing lyrics about crystal eyes, marigolds, and sunlight through his head as he presses a soft kiss to Luke’s shoulder.

 

————

 

In the morning, after a very languid shower during which Kay had to pound on the door and yell at them to _quiet the fuck down_ , Bodhi works on some new lyrics, scribbling furiously into his notebook— Luke is sitting behind him on the bed, humming along softly to the Say Anything song currently playing as he brushes Bodhi’s hair for him.

“Can I braid it?” Luke asks suddenly, setting the brush down, and Bodhi hums softly in agreement as he taps his pen against his notebook. He closes his eyes for a moment as Luke’s fingers slide through his hair, enjoying the feeling very much as Luke starts to section it off carefully, pulling strands from Bodhi’s temples to the crown of his head.

“You can french braid?” Bodhi mutters, smiling a bit as he recognizes the pattern. Luke bites his lip as he carefully braids his boyfriend’s hair, brow furrowed ever so slightly as he concentrates.

“Leia taught me.. I can do a couple different types.” Luke admits, sounding only slightly embarrassed, and Bodhi smirks, because of course he should have known it was _Leia_ who taught him. 

“You help her with her hair sometimes, then?” Bodhi asks, scribbling down some more lyrics— Luke smiles as he continues to braid, tilting his head to the side a bit. 

“Not so much anymore, but when we were younger, yeah..” Luke bites his lip again, holding the end of the braid as he leans over to grab an elastic off Bodhi’s nightstand. “Used to help my mom, too.. she likes doing really elaborate styles.”

Bodhi can hear the fondness in Luke’s voice and smiles to himself— Luke didn’t talk much about his dad, but he clearly adored his mom, from what Bodhi could tell. Luke smiles as he finishes tying off the braid, looking pleased with himself, and leans in to rest his chin on Bodhi’s shoulder so he can kiss his cheek.

“Done.. looks good on you.” Luke grins, and Bodhi turns his head so he can capture his boyfriend’s lips in a kiss. 

“Thanks..” Bodhi smiles, reaching up to run one hand over the braid— he hasn’t worn it in anything other than a bun or ponytail in a while. “My mom used to french braid it for me, after I refused to get it cut anymore.. was the only way she could keep it from turning into a tangled mess.”

Luke grins and chuckles a little, nuzzling into Bodhi’s neck now that his hair is out of the way. “You’ve always had long hair, then?”

Bodhi shrugs one shoulder as he glances down at his notebook again, tapping his pen against the paper. “Pretty much.. my mom never cared, and I like it. I try not to let it get past my shoulders, though, otherwise it’s a huge pain to deal with..”

“I can only imagine.” Luke muses, pressing a kiss to Bodhi’s neck playfully. Bodhi shoves his notebook aside and sighs as he leans back against Luke’s chest, making himself comfortable as Luke wraps his arms around his waist and kisses the top of his head.

“When do you have to go to class?” Bodhi asks, glancing towards the clock on his desk. Luke sighs a little, squeezing Bodhi around the middle.

“Soon..” Luke sounds very much like he doesn’t want to go, and Bodhi smirks a little, tilting his head back to look up at him.

“Wanna go try that new biryani place tonight?” Bodhi asks, arching one eyebrow, and Luke grins as he leans down to kiss him.

“It’s a date.” he agrees happily, nuzzling against Bodhi's cheek- Luke pauses for a moment, blinking as a slight furrow appears between his brow. "What's biryani?"

Bodhi rolls his eyes and snorts out a laugh, remembering that Luke is from _bumfuck Arizona_ and the lack of culture that probably entails, and tilts his head to place a kiss on the underside of his boyfriend's jaw. "God, you're the cutest white boy ever, sometimes."

Luke blushes, looking embarrassed as he rubs the back of his neck sheepishly, and Bodhi grins as he turns and pushes him down into the mattress with a kiss- if Luke's a little late for his class, no one's going to _care_ , Bodhi decides.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, I really want some biryani now. So hungry. Hmmm.. I wonder what Bodhi is planning.. [shifty eyes]
> 
>  
> 
> As always, thank you for all your delightful comments and kudos! They make me so happy. <3 I can't believe how much I've written for this already, I've never written a fic this long before..


	17. Hold My Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You have no idea what you do to me, do you?

 

 

 _Rogue One’s_ show finally rolls around, and once again, it’s sold out. Bodhi manages to keep his shit together this time, but he’s still blown away, because he had _no idea_ so many people enjoyed his stupid band. 

They arrive at Kyber early, to soundcheck and let Kay mess around with the lighting when Artoo isn’t looking— there’s two other bands playing before Rogue One, younger kids from the suburbs, not the city, but they’re nice enough and Bodhi hopes they have fun.

Bodhi’s sitting at the bar, having a drink to help with his nerves before they start letting people inside. Baze splashes a little more whiskey into his glass, arching one eyebrow. “You seem nervous.”

Bodhi tosses the liquor back and snorts softly. “I’m _always_ nervous..”

Baze doesn’t roll his eyes, but its a near thing, Bodhi can tell. “More nervous than usual.. you guys did fine, last time. You shouldn’t worry so much.”

Bodhi twirls his empty glass between his fingers as he stares down at the bar top, thinking about his stupid little plan for tonight— “Yeah.. yeah, I guess you’re right.”

Baze snorts and claps him on the shoulder with one heavy hand, smirking. “I’m _always_ right.”

 

————

 

Bodhi remains at the bar when they start to let people in for the show, and Jyn comes to join him.

“You pumped?” she asks, grinning as she bumps her hip into his, and Bodhi smirks a little as he bumps her back.

“Mostly..” Bodhi shrugs one shoulder, feeling his nerves creeping up again— Jyn scoffs and loops one arm around his neck, dragging him down so she can kiss his cheek and give him a good shake.

“It’ll be _fine_ , Bodhi.. you worry so much..” Jyn clicks her tongue, releasing him as they both turn to watch the crowd file in— Bodhi can see a lot of people he knows, already, and he lets his eyes dart around, looking for a familiar head of sandy hair—

“Bodhi!” 

Luke pushes through the crowd, all blue eyes and bright smiles, and Bodhi immediately feels the last raw edges of his nerves melt away. Bodhi bites his lip as Luke approaches, because of _course_ he’s wearing leather pants again, with a black Nirvana shirt and an orange and black flight jacket that Bodhi recognizes as belonging to Wedge— Bodhi _really_ wishes Luke would stop raiding his closet, though he admittedly looks way better than _Wedge_ does half the time. 

Bodhi smiles, opening his mouth to greet his boyfriend, but Luke is already pushing in for an enthusiastic kiss, sliding his arms around Bodhi’s neck— Bodhi hums with pleasure as he returns the kiss just as enthusiastically, sliding his arms around Luke’s waist. Jyn watches the two of them with complete and utter enjoyment as she steals Bodhi’s drink and sips it. 

“You two could probably make a _lot_ of money if you took pictures doing that.” Jyn muses after a moment, and Bodhi breaks away from Luke to glare at her. She smiles, completely unrepentant, and Luke laughs, tucking his face against Bodhi’s neck to hide his blush. 

“Don’t you have your own boyfriend to be a smartass to?” Bodhi complains, and Jyn smirks, shrugging one shoulder. 

“I suppose..” she sighs, then reaches up to slap Bodhi on the shoulder. “Don’t forget to come backstage around eight so we can get ready.”

Bodhi gives her a gentle shove, rolling his eyes, and Jyn grins as she slips off through the crowd— it’s really starting to fill up, now, and Bodhi hugs Luke closer, smiling as he meets his bright eyes. “You look nice..” he mutters, smirking just a bit as he briefly slides his fingers over the curve of Luke’s leather-clad behind. Luke grins, slightly wicked, looking at Bodhi from beneath his lashes in a way that makes Bodhi regret wearing such tight pants.

“So do you..” Luke murmurs, eyes drifting down slowly— once again, Bodhi had let Jyn dress him, more out of habit than anything at this point. Another clingy tank top, in black this time, with slightly ripped up black jeans and boots— the red flannel shirt Bodhi had been wearing is currently tied around his waist, because he always got hot moving equipment around and sound-checking. Luke makes a very appreciative noise as he leans in to kiss Bodhi’s shoulder, nuzzling against his skin.

Bodhi smirks, hooking one finger under Luke’s chin so he can pull him in for a kiss as the first band gets ready to go on. “You wanna go shove people around and get sweaty with me?”

Luke’s eyes light up as he grins, already shrugging his jacket off— Bodhi takes it and tosses it over behind the bar, because Baze won’t mind looking after it. 

“Fuck, I thought you’d never ask..” Luke teases, grabbing Bodhi’s hand and dragging him into the crowd as the band warms up a bit, bass, drums and guitar rumbling through the air, and Bodhi feels his chest kick with excitement and energy, because fuck, he _loves music—_

The band kicks in, and Bodhi lets himself get lost with Luke in the screaming crowd, thinking he could do this for the rest of his life and be perfectly content.

 

————

 

Half-way through the second band, Bodhi has to leave so he can go warm up— he’s already drenched in sweat and his body is thrumming with adrenaline, and Luke kisses him hard before he goes, his blue eyes promising all kinds of things for later. Bodhi is _seriously_ regretting the tight pants, once again.

Bodhi meets up with the rest of _Rogue One_ backstage— Jyn undoes his messy hair and reworks it into a more secure bun as he warms up his voice and goes through his scales. Kay is tapping out the rhythm for tonight’s cover against the couch with his drumsticks, while Cassian warms up his own voice a bit, plucking at an imaginary bass with his fingers as he paces around.

Baze pounds on the door all too soon, and Bodhi feels his heart start to pound, that familiar feeling of excitement and dread settling in his gut. They all huddle together for a moment, waiting for Bodhi as usual, and he takes a deep breath and nods after a moment— he can do this. He can _always_ do this. He was _made_ to do this.

“”Let’s fuck ‘em up, guys.”

Jyn and Cassian whoop in agreement, Kay smirks, and Bodhi’s hands aren’t even shaking this time as they file out of the room and towards the stage.

 

————

 

Luke has pushed his way up front, just like he promised— his arms are folded on the stage, and he’s grinning bright enough to power a small solar system as Bodhi hits the stage and slings his guitar on. The crowd is screaming, and Bodhi feels another rush of adrenaline as he quickly checks his guitar, sending out a sharp riff, Jyn joining him as Kay bangs out a quick beat across his drum set to test it— Bodhi catches Luke’s eyes and lets himself drown in electric blue for a moment before turning around and cueing up the first song, not even bothering to address the crowd, because he wants to fucking _play—_

His bandmates pick up his cue quickly, and Bodhi can feel his bones rattling as the music swells up around him, and he grins as he turns, shouting into the mic—

“ _The fountain was off, this is the first time I’ve been back to the city in months!.._ ”

The crowd _screams_ , and Bodhi lets himself get caught up in his own words, feeling more alive than he could ever dream. When he opens his eyes and catches sight of Luke again, Luke is screaming along with every word, and it sends an absolute _thrill_ through Bodhi that make him fall in love just a little bit more as he shouts into his mic.

_“It’s not about forcing happiness, it’s about not letting the sadness win!..”_

 

————

 

The crowd is even more crazy than the last time they played, and Bodhi feeds off the energy like it’s a drug.

He’s already dripping with sweat as they roll into _Screen Door_ — Kay has lost his shirt once again much to the crowd’s delight, Jyn is launching herself off any surface available when she’s not backing Bodhi’s vocals, and Cassian is provoking the crowd into one giant mosh pit. Luke is still pressed up against the stage, screaming along with every word, his eyes never leaving Bodhi for one second, looking at him like he’s the most incredible thing he’s _ever seen—_

“ _I’ve been looking for tears in the screen door! I’ve been waiting for another disaster!.._ ” Bodhi shouts, voice starting to feel raw— Jyn and Cassian echo him, and Bodhi meets Luke’s eyes as he sings the next verse, feeling something in his chest swelling and wanting to break open— _“But I was kind of hoping you’d stay, I was kind of hoping you’d stay..”_

Luke’s eyes are practically blazing with emotion that Bodhi is too scared to even _consider_ naming, and he has to look away before he gives in to the urge to drag Luke up on the stage and kiss him breathless.

 

————

 

They’re getting closer to Bodhi’s surprise, and he feels his nerves start to come back _just_ a bit.

Bodhi sidesteps as Wedge is tossed onto the stage during _American Religion_ , grinning as his friend throws his arms up and leans towards the mic, shouting along with him—

 _“They’re all paying for bullets to shoot at my feet!”_ They shout together, and Bodhi tries not to laugh as Wedge grabs him around the neck and kisses the side of his face— _“Does that make you happy, does that make you happy?”_

Bodhi shoves Wedge away, laughing as Cassian takes over for the next verse, and Wedge leaps off an amp into the jumping crowd, who catch him as he grins and continues to sing. Luke is struggling to keep singing along because he’s laughing so hard, and Bodhi grins, composing himself as he steps up to the mic again, forgetting all about his nerves.

 

————

 

After they wrap up _American Religion_ , Bodhi takes a quick break— he chugs down half a bottle of water and dumps the rest over his head, because it’s fucking _sweltering_ in Kyber right now. Luke whistles sharply behind him, and Bodhi grins as he slicks water out of his eyes. 

“So, we’ve got a little treat for you all, next..” Jyn is saying into her mic, grinning like a mad woman as she looks over at Bodhi— he feels his chest kick for a moment and bites his lip, because this is it, now or never— and Bodhi turns and goes back to his mic as the crowd screams and whistles.

“This isn’t the kind of song we _usually_ cover, but—” Bodhi says into his mic, flicking his gaze down to Luke, who suddenly looks _very_ curious, “— I’d like to dedicate it someone very, uh.. special, to me.”

Bodhi feels the back of his neck burn as people start to whistle and catcall— Luke is staring up at him with big eyes, looking suspicious and a little bashful as Bodhi meets his gaze. “Hope you like it, Luke.”

Bodhi turns as Jyn laughs and starts up the cue with Kay, and he can’t believe he’s doing this, he’s such an _idiot_ , but— when he turns back around towards the mic, Luke’s eyes are impossibly wide and he looks absolutely _shocked_ and delighted as he recognizes the song, and it’s _worth it—_

 _“The way your hair swings over your eyes, the motor in my head turns..”_ Bodhi sings, not looking away from Luke— the crowd screams as they recognize the song as well, starting to sing along— _“Wanting you for such a long time, in my mind my heart, a lesson to learn..”_

Luke can’t stop grinning as he sings along, jumping along with the crowd, not taking his eyes off Bodhi as Jyn and Cassian join in for the bridge, and Bodhi thinks that this is very much worth the shit the rest of his friends are sure to give him as he gets to the chorus.

 _“So hold my hand, I’ll take you everywhere, anywhere, you wanna go..”_ Bodhi closes his eyes, because the look on Luke’s face is _way too much_ for him to handle right now— Cassian shouts at the crowd, clapping along to the beat, and the crowd is more than happy to echo it as they sing along. Jyn is laughing as she spins around, and Bodhi has to admit this is _fun_ , playing something more— more _lighthearted—_

Bodhi forces his eyes open again, unable to stop himself from smiling as he meets Luke’s eyes again— _“Waking up to the blue of your eyes, it’s something I’ll get used to, oh!”_ —and Luke’s smile makes Bodhi’s chest hurt because it’s so breathtaking, and he has to look away again. 

The crowd is still eating it up as they play through the song, singing and clapping along— Finn gets tossed onto the stage, grinning at Bodhi like mad and winking before he dives off again, and Bodhi is _so_ happy Finn finally made it to a show— and then more people are tossed on stage, including Wedge again, then Han, and even _Leia_ , who jumps back into the crowd laughing— Bodhi has to sidestep around them, trying not to laugh as he sings—

Jyn nudges into Bodhi suddenly, grinning as she gives him a look then nods her chin down, towards Luke— Bodhi bites his lip, letting Cassian handle the next bridge as he leans over the edge of the stage, offering Luke his hand. Luke’s face lights up like pure sunlight as he grabs it, and Bodhi hauls him up on to the stage, a few people in the crowd giving Luke a boost up. Bodhi grins, shifting to the side as he resumes playing so Luke can share his mic, and Luke can’t stop smiling as he joins him in the last rounds of the chorus—

 _“So come on and hold my hand, I’ll take you everywhere, anywhere you wanna go!..”_ Luke’s bright voice is far better suited for this kind of song, and the crowd shrieks happily, because even though they have no idea who Luke is, he sounds _amazing_. Bodhi steps back, smiling as he lets Luke take over, and Luke looks like he was born to sing to a crowd like this, absolutely _radiating_ energy as he grabs the mic and leans over the crowd, eating up their attention—

The crowd screams and cheers when they finish the song, and Bodhi’s heart is pounding, but he can’t stop smiling— and then Luke is grabbing him by the back of his neck and kissing him, right there on stage in front of _everyone_ , and Bodhi lets his guitar fall slack against his body as he grabs Luke’s face and kisses him back _very_ enthusiastically. 

There’s some disgusted boo-ing and slurs called out, but it’s mostly covered by the sound of people whistling and screaming in appreciation.

 

————

 

Luke slips back down into the crowd, and they close out the show with _Cardinals_ — Bodhi’s chest doesn’t hurt nearly as much as it did last time when he sings and screams, the ache dulled, and he thinks he might _finally_ be healing.

Bodhi’s breathing hard as the last chords echo away, lost in the screaming crowd— his skin is buzzing with electricity, and wishes he could just play forever, because it’s _addicting_. He slings his guitar off as Cassian thanks the crowd for being amazing, and Bodhi throws a weak salute before he heads offstage, still breathing hard as he slips down the narrow hallway, towards the back room so he can take a moment to collect himself—

Bodhi doesn’t make it to the room, because someone is grabbing his arm and swinging him into the wall, and he tenses for a moment before a pair of familiar lips are on his, hot and demanding— Bodhi sighs and groans harshly into Luke’s mouth as he parts his lips, clenching his fingers in the back of Luke’s sweat-damp shirt to pull him closer.

“You are _amazing_..” Luke breathes into Bodhi’s mouth, panting softly as he frames Bodhi’s face in both of his hands, holding him there as he kisses him again— Bodhi groans again, lifting one hand so he can tangle his fingers in Luke’s sweaty hair, his heart starting to pound all over again.

“You have _no idea_ what you do to me, do you?..” Luke whispers as their lips part, pressing his forehead against Bodhi’s, eyes closed. Bodhi swallows hard, his chest aching, because he wants to tell Luke, he wants to tell him _so badly_ , but he’s still a little scared—

Luke kisses him again, slowly and achingly sweet this time, and Bodhi whimpers very softly, because he completely and absolutely _loves_ Luke Skywalker with all of his heart.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love writing band chapters, I just wanna say that. <3 Bodhi, you are a romantic idiot, _stop being so cute_. Also.. oh, shit.. there's that L-word again..
> 
> Here is a Spotify [Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/user/attackedastoria/playlist/0ANSgYI0UPomfiGxNLjahX) of the set from the show!
> 
> I have also added a new bodhi/wedge backstory oneshot, because i love angst. check that out if it's your thing!


	18. Crystals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You hate New Found Glory.
> 
>  
> 
> Another very M chapter. Additional warning for a panic attack as well, if that makes you uncomfortable.

 

After they get all their gear broken down and shoved into the van, Bodhi declines the usual suggestion of hitting up Maz’s dinner for post-show pancakes, much to everyone’s surprise.

Luke is leaning against the brick wall next to the back door of Kyber, watching him, and Bodhi can practically feel his blue eyes burning straight _through_ him. He resists the urge to shudder, but only barely.

When they leave together, heading back to the apartment, Jyn watches them go with a small, knowing smile on her lips.

 

————

 

When Bodhi and Luke get back to the empty apartment, secluding themselves in Bodhi’s bedroom, the first thing out of Luke’s mouth is— “You _hate_ New Found Glory.”

Bodhi is currently leaning over his desk, scrolling through playlists on his laptop— he finds the one he wants, clicking play, and glances over at Luke, who’s standing by the bed. Luke’s brow is slightly furrowed, and there’s something in his blue eyes, some emotion Bodhi can’t place—

Bodhi looks away and shrugs after a moment, his voice quiet. “Yeah.. but _you_ don’t.”

Luke draws in a sharp breath and something in his gaze seems to break as he reaches out, grabbing Bodhi’s arm and pulling him around— Bodhi closes his eyes as he meets Luke’s lips with his own, the kiss edging between tender and desperate as he fists both of his hands in Luke’s hair, suddenly wishing he could just crawl inside his skin and make a home inside the bright, _shining_ place where Luke’s heart is—

Luke breathes out Bodhi’s name like a damn prayer when their lips part, and Bodhi pushes him down onto the bed, straddling Luke’s hips and dragging their lips together for another kiss, achingly slow and deep. Luke whimpers, soft and broken in the back of his throat, his hands fisted in Bodhi’s tank top— Bodhi takes his time as he slowly licks his way into Luke’s mouth, tasting him, and he has the vague, nonsensical thought that Luke tastes like sunshine on a cloudless day, too warm, too _bright_ —

Bodhi has to break away, and Luke moans at the loss, pressing his lips to Bodhi’s neck instead, mouthing at his skin almost desperately. 

“ _God_ , Bodhi..” Luke breathes against his skin, and Bodhi bites his lip, tilting his head back as Luke bites at the underside of his jaw, then his throat, tongue sliding across Bodhi’s pounding pulse point in a way that makes Bodhi’s breath catch for a second.

Luke moans his name again, and Bodhi shifts his weight, gently pushing Luke back against the sheets, following him down and kissing him heatedly— Luke squirms, groaning into Bodhi’s mouth as he pushes his hips up, and Bodhi catches Luke’s hands in his own, pinning them above Luke’s head as he bites down on his lip, absolutely loving the way he whimpers in response—

“Fuck..” Luke moans weakly as their lips part, breathing hard as Bodhi slowly moves his mouth down the side of his face, biting at Luke’s neck hard enough to leave marks— Luke flexes against Bodhi’s hold, but Bodhi keeps him pinned, pressing down with more of his weight, and Luke whines a little in response, because the way Bodhi is acting is making his head spin _deliciously_ for some reason—

Bodhi finally releases Luke’s hands, but it’s only so he can push Luke’s shirt up, pulling it off as Luke arches up from the bed— Bodhi bites down on Luke’s collarbone, soothing the sting with his tongue as Luke gasps a little. Luke makes quick work of snapping the band off Bodhi’s hair, tangling his fingers in the dark strands and holding Bodhi to his skin as he moans, his breath starting to come in quick pants.

Bodhi leans back long enough to strip his tank top off, taking a moment to just look at Luke, all flushed and panting and bright eyed beneath him— Bodhi bites his lip, because _fuck_ , seeing Luke like this just makes his chest hurt all over again. Luke pulls him back down eagerly, and Bodhi groans into his mouth as they kiss, wet and deep, his hands shaking very slightly as they slide down and start to undo Luke’s belt, then his pants— Bodhi slides his fingers over Luke’s thighs for a moment, enjoying the feel of the soft leather.

“Up..” Bodhi pants against Luke’s lips, and Luke lifts his hips off the bed obediently so Bodhi can finish stripping him. Bodhi wastes zero time, knowing _exactly_ what he wants— he slides down Luke’s body, raking his nails across his thighs, and Luke let’s out a strangled moan as Bodhi closes his lips over the head of his cock, surrounding him with wet heat.

“ _Fuck_ , Bodhi.. “ Luke moans loudly, fisting one hand in Bodhi’s hair and the other in the sheets, biting his lip as he tries _very_ hard not to thrust up into Bodhi’s mouth. Bodhi hums softly with satisfaction, working his tongue over Luke’s shaft slowly, taking his time, and Luke makes a desperate sound as he tosses his head back against the sheets.

“More, _please_..” Luke practically begs, and Bodhi thinks he could get used the sound of Luke begging like that— he backs off, flicking his tongue over the head of Luke’s cock teasingly, making his hips jump.

“Grab the lube if you want more.” Bodhi orders, and Luke twists, breathing hard as he yanks open the nightstand, because Bodhi is still teasing the tip of his shaft with his tongue, and it’s _very_ hard to concentrate—

Bodhi smiles a bit as Luke practically throws the lube at him before collapsing back against the sheets again with a rough groan, trying to thrust his hips towards Bodhi’s mouth. Bodhi licks him teasingly before snapping the lube open and pushing Luke’s thighs apart, positioning him a little better as he slicks his fingers—

Luke can’t keep himself quiet at _all_ as Bodhi starts to prep him, thrusting his hips and writhing on the sheets even as his boyfriend tries to keep him still. He tosses his head back, biting his lip hard as he makes an impatient sound, because as good as it feels, he just wants Bodhi _inside_ him— Luke lets out a sharp sound, not quite a whine but almost, as Bodhi curls his fingers, and he can’t _stand_ it anymore.

“Fuck, I’m ready.. _please_..” Luke half demands, half begs, and Bodhi doesn’t question him for once, sitting back on his heels as he rips his belt open— he rises quickly so he can kick his jeans off, and Luke’s eyes are so intense as he watches, raking his gaze over every inch of Bodhi’s skin, that Bodhi feels a little thrill shock through him, because maybe if he’s lucky, Luke _feels the same_ —

Bodhi moves back on to the bed after quickly slicking his cock with lube, wanting Luke more than ever, now— Luke surges up to kiss him hungrily, all tongue and teeth, and Bodhi groans deep his his chest, grabbing Luke and hitching him up— Bodhi gets his knees under himself, kneeling on the bed, and drags Luke’s legs around his hips, making Luke straddle him as he pushes him into the wall. Lukes makes an eager sound in his throat, because _this_ is a new position for them, and Bodhi secures one arm around Luke’s waist, nudging his cock against him, teasing him, and Luke _whines_ , ready to start begging and demanding again—

Luke throws his head back against the wall with a very high-pitched moan as Bodhi finally slides into him, draping his arms over Bodhi’s shoulders and clawing at his back. Bodhi breathes harshly through his nose as he presses his face against the line of Luke’s throat, struggling to compose himself for a second, but then Luke moves against him, _impatient as always_ , moaning and whimpering in Bodhi’s ear, and Bodhi almost _growls_ —

“Do you have _any_ idea how beautiful you are like this?..” Bodhi breathes out harshly against Luke’s skin, hooking his other arm beneath Luke’s thigh as he thrusts up into him hard. Luke moans breathlessly as Bodhi starts to pound him into the wall, digging the heel of one foot into Bodhi’s lower back, urging him on. 

“Fuck, Bodhi..” Luke moans, unable to keep himself quiet— he feels oddly vulnerable, pressed up against the wall like this, completely as Bodhi’s mercy, but he _loves_ it. Bodhi grunts softly as he bites at the underside of Luke’s jaw, his eyes closed as he drinks in all the gorgeous sounds Luke is making, _never_ wanting to forget them—

“So gorgeous..” Bodhi groans against Luke’s skin, because now that he’s started, he can’t _stop_ talking— “So _fucking_ perfect, and you’re all _mine_..” he gasps, hitching Luke’s thigh up higher as he thrusts harder, angling his hips to try and push deeper, because he can’t get _enough_ —

Luke can only whine and moan brokenly in response, staring at Bodhi from beneath his lashes, and Bodhi kisses him harshly, like he wants to punish Luke for being too fucking perfect and _destroying_ his life one smile at a time. Bodhi’s muscles are starting to burn from the strain, but he keeps going, dropping Luke’s thigh so he can grab both his wrists instead, pinning them against the wall over his head, and Luke makes a sharp, indecent sound as he arches his back, straining against Bodhi’s grip—

“Oh my fucking _god_ , Bodhi, right there, _harder_..” Luke chokes out in a rush, tossing his head back again, and Bodhi can tell that Luke’s close, can feel him starting to tremble, and he slams into him roughly, all finesse gone, and Luke looks so _beautiful_ when he cries out that Bodhi can’t even stop himself—

“ _Fuck_ , Luke, I love you _so much_..” Bodhi bites down on Luke’s neck hard, practically whimpering, and Luke lets out a strangled gasp— “I love you and it _terrifies_ me, why do you have to be so _perfect_ , why did you have to _make me fucking love you like this_..” Bodhi’s voice is rough, cracking with emotion, and his heart feels like it’s going to explode, but he doesn’t _care anymore—_

Luke makes another sharp, desperate sound, pulling his hands from Bodhi’s grip and fisting them in his hair as he drags Bodhi in for a harsh kiss, his own voice sound a little broken as he whimpers into Bodhi’s mouth— “God, Bodhi, I love you, _I love you so much_ , it’s so fast but I _do_ —“ —and Bodhi let’s out a choked gasp, his entire body shuddering as he slips his hand between them, fisting it around Luke’s cock roughly, and Luke cries out into his mouth as he comes only seconds later. 

Luke moans into Bodhi’s ear, voice breathless as he tells Bodhi he loves him again, and Bodhi shouts Luke’s name as he comes, driving up into Luke’s body desperately. He feels like he might _die_ , his heart is pounding so hard and he can barely breathe— Luke grabs his face, pulling him in for a messy kiss, and Bodhi groans as he slumps forward, pinning Luke against the wall heavily as they both try to come back to reality again. 

Bodhi’s thighs are screaming at his brain in protest as he starts to shift around a minute later, carefully pulling out of Luke and easing him down against the mattress— Luke pulls Bodhi with him, and Bodhi finds himself sprawled on top of his boyfriend, head resting against his chest, listening to Luke’s own pounding heart as he closes his eyes.

Neither one of them say anything for what feels like hours— Luke twists his fingers through Bodhi’s hair, stroking his scalp tenderly, and Bodhi focuses on breathing as he listens to the steady rhythm of Luke’s heart beneath his ear. When Luke finally speaks, his voice is quiet, and a little hoarse.

“I think.. I think I fell in love with you the moment you first told me I was beautiful.. “ Luke admits, licking his lips as he stares up at the ceiling. “No one’s _ever_ looked at me like that before, and I just.. god.. I thought it was too soon, but it didn’t go away, it got _worse_ , every time you so much as smiled at me..”

Bodhi swallows hard, skimming his fingers over Luke’s hip gently, trying to distract himself from the aching feeling in his chest. “After.. after _that_ night, with the rain.. when I was holding you, I knew. I think I knew before then, but.. that was when I realized it.”

Luke smiles as he closes his eyes, and brushes his thumb over the curve of Bodhi’s jaw tenderly. “I think that’s when I really realized it, too.. and then again, tonight.. when you sang just for me. No one’s _ever_ done something like that for me..”

Bodhi smiles and presses a kiss to Luke’s skin, before he swallows, chest suddenly feeling tight— “Luke, there’s.. there’s still a lot you don’t know about me.. some of it isn’t very _pleasant_ , either..” Bodhi admits, his voice low. “I’m- I’m kind of a fucking _mess_..”

Luke shifts, pushing himself up on one elbow, and Bodhi lifts his head so he can meet his eyes— they’re bright, more crystal blue than he’s ever seen them, and Luke smiles at him, soft and warm. 

“There’s a lot you still don’t know about me either, Bodhi.. I’m not as perfect as you think I am..” Luke sighs, averting his eyes for a moment, before quickly meeting Bodhi’s gaze again. “I still love you. I don’t care if you’re a mess or not, _everyone’s_ a damn mess, some way or another..”

Bodhi feels his heart swell a bit, and pushes himself up so he can capture Luke’s lip in a soft kiss— he doesn’t deserve Luke, _he doesn’t_ , he never will, and one day Luke will find out how screwed up he is and _leave him_ , but— for now, Bodhi decides he’s going to be greedy. He’s going to take Luke’s love, and hold onto it as tight as he can, until it’s forcibly ripped away from him, and even _then_ —

“I love you, sunshine..” Bodhi whispers against Luke’s lips, because he _has_ to say it again, now that things are quiet and soft instead of frantic and desperate. Luke’s smile is achingly beautiful as he kisses Bodhi again, cupping one hand against his cheek, and Bodhi sighs long and quiet with contentment against Luke’s lips as Luke whispers to him.

“I love you too, Bodhi.”

 

————

 

Bodhi stares at the ceiling for hours, long after Luke has fallen asleep curled up against him, breathing quiet and deep against his neck.

It’s nearly six in the morning when Bodhi shifts, very carefully, making sure not to wake Luke up as he climbs out of bed— Luke sighs and snuffles a little as he rolls over, clutching at Bodhi’s pillow, and Bodhi presses a soft kiss against Luke’s hair before he goes to pull on a pair of sweatpants and slip quietly out of the room.

Bodhi’s not expecting anyone else to be up, but Jyn is in the kitchen, wearing a pair of flannel pajama pants and a cami as she puts the kettle on the stove. Bodhi pauses, and Jyn looks over at him, clearly surprised, but she smiles after a moment and pulls another mug down from the cabinet. 

“Tea?” she asks, and Bodhi nods wordlessly as he sits at the table, scrubbing a hand over his eyes.

“You’re up early..” he mutters, staring down at the table top— Jyn snorts a little, sounding tired as she grabs two tea bags from the canister on the counter.

“Couldn’t sleep.. “ she shrugs, glancing over at him. “Luke still sleeping?”

Bodhi nods, raking his hand back through his hair as he thinks about Luke curled up in his blankets, golden hair splayed across his pillows— he swallows hard, his throat suddenly feeling tight. _Fuck._

“I love him.” Bodhi says suddenly, still staring at the table— Jyn goes still for a moment, not saying anything, then moves to grab the kettle as it whistles, carefully pouring the water into two mugs. When she joins him at the table, setting one mug in front of him, Bodhi finally looks up— Jyn is looking at him, her green eyes gentle, a soft smile on her lips, the smile she only reserves for him or Cassian.

“I know, sweetie.” Jyn tells him quietly, reaching over and placing one hand on his arm, squeezing it. “Scary, yeah?”

Bodhi nods, turning his eyes down to stare at his mug, watching the steam curl up through the air. “I.. I _told_ him. Tonight. A couple hours ago.”

Jyn squeezes his arm again, trying to get him to look at her, but Bodhi continues to stare at his mug of tea. “And?..”

Bodhi licks his lips, chest feeling too tight all of a sudden— “He told me he loves me too.”

Jyn smiles, her eyes bright, and gives his arm a little shake. “Of _course_ he does.. you two are something special, Bodhi. _Everyone_ can see it.”

Bodhi’s chest tightens again, to an uncomfortable degree, and he’s vaguely aware that his breathing is starting to go erratic, because Luke loves him, _Luke said he loves him_ and that— _that means—_

“He _shouldn’t_.” Bodhi breathes out sharply, almost whispering, “He shouldn’t, because I _ruin_ everything I love, and it _dies_..”

Jyn is up out of her chair in a flash, grabbing Bodhi’s shoulders and turning him to face her, her voice sharp. “Bodhi, that is _not true_ , don’t do this, _please_.. “ she begs him, trying to make him focus on her, but Bodhi can’t— her voice sounds far away, and Bodhi can barely _breathe_ all of sudden, his ears ringing—

“Bodhi! Bodhi, it’s fine, I _promise_ , you don’t ruin _anything_ , please..” Jyn grabs Bodhi’s face, still trying to get him to focus, but she can tell he’s spiraling and curses. “Bodhi, where’s your Ativan, sweetheart? Is it in your room?”

Bodhi rips himself away from Jyn, hunching over, feeling like something is trying to _claw out of his chest_ — Jyn calls his name louder this time, repeating her question, and Bodhi somehow manages to nod, squeezing his eyes shut tightly—

“Just breathe, Bodhi, I’ll be right back, I swear..” Jyn reassures him, and then she’s gone, and Bodhi struggles to control his breathing, some part of himself vaguely aware that he’s having a panic attack, because he _doesn’t fucking deserve to love anything after what he did to Bran—_

Bodhi feels a pair of cool hands framing his face, suddenly, much larger than Jyn’s, trying to tilt his head up, to make him focus— “Bodhi, you’re okay, love, just breathe for me..” —Luke’s voice is soft and steady, reassuring him, grounding him, and Bodhi sucks in a ragged breath as he tries to focus.

“That’s it, just like that, love..” Luke coaxes him, stroking his thumbs over Bodhi’s cheekbones, soft and gentle, and Bodhi focuses on his touch as an anchor— Jyn returns from the kitchen with a glass of water and Bodhi’s pills, pressing two of them into his hand, her voice just as gentle as Luke’s when she speaks.

“Here, sweetie, take these.. I’ve got some water for you..” Jyn coaxes, and Bodhi quickly knocks back the pills with one shaking hand— his throat is tight, but he manages to swallow them with the water Jyn gives him. Luke is still talking to him, and Bodhi closes his eyes as he focuses on the sound of his voice, forcing himself to try and _breathe_ properly—

“It’ll take a few minutes, but he’ll be alright..” Jyn murmurs to Luke, crouching down beside him and laying one hand on Bodhi’s knee, squeezing it gently. “He hasn’t had one in a while, he usually catches them before they get this bad..”

“He never told me he had panic attacks..” Luke mutters, sounding very concerned— Bodhi forces his eyes open as he finally manages to steady his breathing into something more normal, and focuses on Luke’s face. Luke smiles at him softly, but his blue eyes are filled with distress as he strokes his thumbs over the line of Bodhi’s beard carefully.

“Hey, beautiful.. you feeling any better?” Luke asks, still eyeing him with concern, and Bodhi manages to nod weakly after a moment. His chest still feels tight, but it’s not gripping his heart in a _vice_ , and everything sounds normal again, even though his pulse is still pounding in his ears.

“Yeah.. yeah, i’m alright..” Bodhi’s voice feels a little raw as he licks his lips— Jyn hand him the water again, and he gulps it down gratefully, coughing a little after finishing it off. Luke looks relieved as he leans up to press a kiss against Bodhi’s forehead, but Jyn is still eyeing him with concern.

“Have you been remembering to take your meds?” she asks, narrowing her eyes just a bit, and Bodhi flinches, because he hasn’t— he’s been too wrapped up with Luke, and music, and he didn’t think it mattered, because he’s been feeling so _happy_ lately. Jyn frowns, sighing as she shakes her head, and hands the little orange bottle to Luke.

“Make sure he takes at least one before bed every night. _Force_ him if you have to.” Jyn tells Luke, voice firm, and Bodhi bristles, clenching his jaw as he glares up at her—

“I can take care of _myself_ —“ Bodhi starts, but Jyn gives him a _look_ , and he falters— she sighs again, pressing a kiss to Bodhi’s forehead and hugging him to her chest tightly for a moment.

“Then take care of yourself, idiot.” Jyn whispers against his hair, voice both affectionate and concerned, and she squeezes him tightly before releasing him. She goes to grab her mug of tea and looks down at Luke with a faint smile. “He’s gonna be really sleepy in about twenty minutes, and _horribly_ cranky when he wakes up, so have fun with that.”

Luke nods as he watches Jyn walk away, glancing at the bottle in his hand before he looks up at Bodhi again, smiling a little— Bodhi sighs, raking a still-shaking hand through his hair, and feels _awful_ , because he never wanted Luke to have to see him like _that—_

“You ready to come back to bed?” Luke asks, rising from his position on the floor— Bodhi nods wearily, because fuck, he’s exhausted all of a sudden, he always is when that happens. Luke smiles a little and helps pull him to his feet, sliding an arm around his waist, and Bodhi is glad for the contact, pressing close to Luke’s side as they shuffle back to his room.

“So.. that was.. one of those _things_ you don’t know about me..” Bodhi snorts weakly, sitting down heavily on the bed as Luke closes the door. “Surprise, I guess?..”

Luke has a _look_ on his face when he turns around that is so similar to Jyn’s, it nearly freaks Bodhi out for a moment. “Not the kind of surprise I _prefer_ , but okay..” he says, setting the pill bottle on Bodhi’s nightstand before joining him on the bed. 

Bodhi snorts, flopping backward against his pillows— his chest isn’t tight anymore and he can breathe fine, now, but his body aches the way it always does after an attack. “Not the kind of surprise I’d prefer to give you.. sorry.”

“Don’t apologize.” Luke shifts, leaning over Bodhi so he can kiss his forehead, “My dad.. he has pretty bad anxiety, sometimes..” he admits, and Bodhi is a little surprised, since Luke _never_ talks about his father— “It’s not something I’m ever gonna _judge_ you for, if that’s what you’re worried about..”

That is _exactly_ what Bodhi is worried about, but he finds himself relaxing a little bit as Luke kisses him softly, because he knows Luke would never lie to him— “It.. it doesn’t happen often, anymore. Usually it’s just nightmares.. “

Luke frowns a tiny bit, not from judgement, but concern— he flicks his blue eyes to Bodhi’s tattoo, gently brushing his thumb over the curve of the cardinal’s wing, and Bodhi can see him trying to piece things together in his head. “I won’t push you, but.. whenever you feel ready, to tell me about what happened..” Luke trails off, meeting Bodhi’s eyes again, and Bodhi swallows hard as he nods.

“Yeah.. I will. I will.” Bodhi licks his lip and nods again, because he will tell Luke soon, _he will_ — Luke deserves to know, no matter how much it hurts to talk about.

Luke smiles and kisses Bodhi softly one last time, and Bodhi is suddenly overcome with a wave of exhaustion again— the Ativan must be kicking in hard, now. Luke settles down beside him, and Bodhi rolls onto his side, closing his eyes as Luke drags the blankets up over them.

“Cuddle me?..” Bodhi mumbles, far too tired and emotionally drained to be even remotely embarrassed about making such a request. Luke complies immediately, snuggling up close to Bodhi’s back and wrapping one arm around his waist as he tucks his face against Bodhi’s shoulder, nuzzling into his skin with a smile. 

“Love you..” Luke murmurs against Bodhi’s skin, squeezing him tightly, and Bodhi’s hums softly in agreement, already drifting to sleep as Luke’s warmth seeps into his skin, like pure sunlight.

 

————

 

Bodhi doesn’t have any nightmares, thankfully, and when he wakes up much later in the afternoon, Luke is still curled up securely against his back, holding him like he wants to protect him from everything bad in the entire galaxy.

Bodhi watches the way the late afternoon sunlight plays across Luke’s hair, making it burn bright gold, and promises himself that he’ll do anything and everything to keep from fucking this up.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [throws glitter everywhere] 
> 
> My good, tender, dumb boys. ;-; This chapter took a lot out of me, but I'm pretty happy with it.
> 
> Here's Bodhi's sexy sweet [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/user/attackedastoria/playlist/1FTgg5xgcLHH4tDNNHxykI) for all your listening needs!


	19. To Be With You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I demand entertainment!

Thanksgiving comes up sooner than Bodhi expects— he’s not going home this year, because his sister is still abroad and his mother is working at the hospital as usual, and they never really celebrated it much anyway. 

Kay is the only one who goes home this year— Jyn’s father is still in Jakarta, working on a new project, so she stays, and so does Cassian, since he doesn’t really have a family to go home to— he usually ends up going with Jyn and Bodhi when they have holiday breaks. 

Jyn, of course, lets it slip to Baze that they’ll all be around, and Chirrut demands that they all come over for Thanksgiving, because he _can’t let his favorite children starve during the holidays._

 

————

 

“When are you and Leia heading home?”

Bodhi furrows his brow as he works on some chords for a new song— it’s a mess at the moment, but Kay’s going to rip it apart and rearrange everything when he gets back, like he always does, and it will sound a lot better. Luke looks over at him from the kitchen, where he’s currently busy making hot chocolate, and blinks at him.

“Um.. we’re not going back to Arizona, actually.” Luke answers, turning back around so he can scour the cabinets for marshmallows. Bodhi looks up from his notebook, surprised.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asks, pushing himself up off the couch and wandering into the kitchen. Bodhi reaches around Luke, opening the right cabinet and dropping the bag of marshmallows into Luke’s eager hands. 

“I figured you were going to see your mom or something..” Luke shrugs, dumping an _unhealthy_ amount of marshmallows into his hot cocoa— Bodhi snorts softly and turns Luke around, arching an eyebrow at him.

“Not this year.. I’m staying with Jyn and Cassian, we’re going to Chirrut and Baze’s for dinner.” Bodhi leans in, pressing a kiss to Luke’s lips. “I figured you two were going home..”

Luke presses in for another kiss and shrugs again, reaching behind himself to grab the bag of marshmallows. “Mom wanted us to come home, but.. we kind of like being away, honestly.” he admits, looking a little sheepish as he offers Bodhi a marshmallow. Bodhi smirks a little and nips playfully at Lukes fingertips as he take it.

“Gotta love that first taste of freedom..” Bodhi muses, and Luke smirks a little as he leans in, coaxing Bodhi into another very sugar-flavored kiss.

“Something like that.” Luke agrees when their lips part, and Bodhi smiles, tilting his head to the side as he thinks for a moment, deciding _now_ was as good a time as ever—

“You two wanna come with to Chirrut and Baze’s for dinner?” Bodhi asks, and Luke smiles brightly, looking very excited to receive such an invitation.

“I’d love to! I’ll text Leia and ask her, but she’ll probably come too..” Luke nods, still smiling as he turns around— Bodhi grabs him before he can add more marshmallows to his cocoa, pulling the bag out of his hand.

“Jyn will _murder_ you if you eat all of these..” Bodhi smirks, holding the bag of marshmallows away as Luke pouts and tries to grab them again.

“I just want a couple more, c’mon!..” Luke whines, because he is a _brat_ , and Bodhi rolls his eyes, handing the bag back to his boyfriend.

“I _warned_ you..”

 

————

 

Later that evening, Bodhi finds himself sprawled across his bed, chest heaving as Luke struggles to get his belt open— Luke bites his lip, furrowing his brow as he yanks at the stubborn zipper of Bodhi’s jeans.

“Come _on_ , fuck, I have a dick I need to suck..” Luke mutters, finally getting the zipper down— Bodhi snorts, torn between insanely aroused and wanting to laugh as he lifts his hips so Luke can pulls his jeans down, and then Luke is grabbing his cock through his boxers and Bodhi hisses, throwing his head back—

“SKYWALKER! Did you eat all my _fucking marshmallows_ , you little _shit?!”_

Luke makes an _incredibly_ undignified noise of shock, falling backwards onto his hands as he’s startled— Jyn pounds on the door again, sounding like she wants to _murder_ someone, and Bodhi scrubs a hand over his face with a growl as his arousal absolutely _dies._

“I fucking _warned_ you, Luke, I swear to god..” Bodhi mutters, glaring up at the ceiling, because he hates his life— Luke is staring at the door with wide eyes, looking like he wants to hide as Jyn curses and pounds on it, threatening to maim him alive.

“She.. she can’t get in here, right?” Luke asks, sounding just a _little_ bit frightened, and Bodhi sighs as he starts to fasten his jeans again.

“Beats me.. you should probably start groveling.” Bodhi eyes the door as it gives an ominous shudder. “Like, right now.”

“Oh, _shit_ , I’m sorry, okay, _I’m sorry_ , Jyn!.. I’ll buy you some more, I _promise!_..”

Luke looks like he fears for his very life as the door gives another ominous shudder when Jyn bangs on it, her voice threatening all kinds of pain.

“If you don’t go out and replace them _right now_ , I swear, I’m going to punch your stupid pretty face in—!”

Bodhi rolls his eyes as Jyn continues to rant, and grabs his keys off the nightstand while Luke scrambles to put his shirt back on, still apologizing. The shit he puts up with for love, _honestly._

 

————

 

Luke buys Jyn _three_ bags of marshmallows, including a bag of the super huge jumbo ones she really likes, and Jyn’s rage is appeased. For now.

Luke also buys Bodhi two bars of dark chocolate, and gives him a _spectacular_ blowjob later on, promising to never ignore Bodhi’s warnings again.

 

————

 

When Thanksgiving day finally rolls around, Bodhi stares at his closet, because he has no idea what to wear. 

It’s a holiday, so he feels like he should dress up a bit, but he doesn’t know where to start, honestly. He frowns as he shoves hangars aside, wondering if he should ask Jyn for help—

“You wanna be my Ken doll, again?”

Speak of the devil, and she shall appear. Bodhi turns, and Jyn smiles at him, peeking in through his half-open door. Bodhi rolls his eyes slightly, but nods, throwing his hands up in defeat. “Dress me, I’m hopeless.”

“You’re not hopeless, you’re _lazy_..” Jyn corrects, smirking as she steps inside and starts to sort through his closet. Bodhi sits on his bed and watches her— she’s wearing a pretty sweater dress in a nice shade of dark teal that compliments her coloring, with leggings and her favorite chunky boots. Very fancy, for Jyn.

“You look nice.” Bodhi comments, and Jyn shoots him a bright smile over her shoulder before returning to her quest in his closet.

“Hmm.. do you still have—? Oh, there it is!” she sound triumphant, and Bodhi arches an eyebrow as she pulls something from the very back of his closet— it’s the thin, dark burgundy cashmere sweater his mother had bought him last Christmas. He forgot he even had it. Jyn smiles and sets it on the bed, along with a pair of his darkest wash jeans, before she makes a thoughtful sound.

“I think Cass has a dress shirt that would look nice under that.. hang on.” Jyn holds up one finger as she darts out of the room, and Bodhi rolls his eyes. He gets up and strips while she’s gone, putting on the jeans— Jyn comes back a few minutes later and thrusts a charcoal dress shirt at him with a pleased grin.

“Here we go!” Jyn smiles, and Bodhi snorts softly as he lets her help him into the shirt— it feels expensive, and he hopes Cassian won’t kill him if he spills something on it.

“You don’t think this is too dressed up?..” Bodhi mutters, fastening the buttons as Jyn goes to fetch the sweater off the bed.

“It’s a holiday, of course not.. you never dress up, let me have my damn fun.” she grins, and Bodhi smiles a bit, shaking his head, because he _always_ let Jyn have her fun when it came to him.

“Fine..” Bodhi sighs, pulling the sweater on next— Jyn helps him straighten it out, smoothing it into place before helping him roll the sleeves and cuffs up. She leans up on her toes to fix the collar, grinning, and Bodhi presses a quick kiss to her forehead since she’s close enough.

“Thanks, Jyn.” Bodhi smiles at her fondly, because he doesn’t know what he would do without her sometimes— he _really_ doesn’t. Jyn gives him a fond smile in return as she finishes fixing his collar, then pushes him to sit on the bed, grabbing his brush off the nightstand.

“How do you want your hair?” Jyn asks, starting to smooth it out carefully, and Bodhi shrugs.

“Surprise me, I guess.” he tells her, and Jyn smirks, making a thoughtful sound as she gathers his hair in her hands. Bodhi closes his eyes as Jyn starts to comb her fingers through his hair, sectioning it, letting himself relax as she works.

“Tilt your head down..” Jyn instructs, and Bodhi complies— she flips his hair over the top of his head, re-sectioning it, and then he feels her start the familiar pattern of a french braid going _up_ from the nape of his neck this time.

“ _Someone’s_ been learning new styles..” Bodhi muses, and Jyn chuckles a bit as she continues to braid.

“Leia might’ve taught me a few things..” she admits, and Bodhi smirks— he tilts his head back as Jyn finishes the short braid and starts to twist the rest of his hair into a bun, securing it with an elastic and a few pins from her own hair.

“She taught Luke how to braid, too..” Bodhi chuckles, holding still as Jyn pats his hair gently, making sure it’s secure. 

“I figured as much when you started wearing braids again, because god knows _you_ can’t braid to save your life.” Jyn teases, stepping back when she’s done fussing over his hair. “There.. you clean up nice, my friend.”

Bodhi snorts as he pushes himself up from the bed, adjusting his sweater. “Only thanks to _you_..”

Jyn looks rather smug as she leans up to kiss his cheek. “I know. You’re _welcome._ ”

 

————

 

Bodhi, Jyn and Cassian go to meet Luke and Leia at their dorm about half an hour later. The twins are bundled up like true non-native Chicagoans— Bodhi can admit it is pretty cold if you’re used to living in a desert, he supposes. He had to bust out his own winter jacket for tonight since the bomber just wasn’t cutting it anymore.

“Nice jacket..” Luke bites his lip, eyeing Bodhi’s fitted black wool peacoat appreciatively— Bodhi allows himself a small smirk as he leans in for a kiss, because he knows it looks good on him, it’s the only reason he’d _bought_ it. 

“Thanks.” Bodhi chuckles a bit, then leans over to give Leia a kiss on the cheek as well, shifting his guitar case around so he doesn’t bump her— she’s wearing a huge, fluffy white puffer jacket, and Bodhi has to admit she looks adorable. 

“Thanks for inviting us to dinner.. you’re sure Chirrut and Baze won’t mind?” Leia smiles, arching one eyebrow— Bodhi snorts, slinging his free arm around Luke’s shoulders as they all start to head towards Kyber, and Jyn laughs.

“You kidding me? Chirrut’s gonna have a field day, he’s been wanting to meet Luke for ages..” Jyn smirks, making both Cassian and Leia chuckle— Bodhi rolls his eyes, and Luke looks slightly nervous, all of a sudden.

“Is that good or bad?” Luke whispers against Bodhi’s ear, the contrast of his warm breath and the cold air making Bodhi shiver a little. He turns his head, pressing a kiss to Luke’s soft hair, and sighs heavily.

“It’s a fifty-fifty toss up, honestly.”

Luke looks even _more_ nervous now, and Bodhi tries not to grin.

 

————

 

Baze answers the door when they arrive and smirks, ushering them inside. The loft smells fucking _delicious_ , and Bodhi can feel his mouth watering already.

“Glad you guys could make it.” Baze says, taking all their coats for them. “Chirrut’s in the kitchen, go make sure he doesn’t set anything on fire while I take care of these.”

“I _heard_ that!”

Baze rolls his eyes and ignores his husband as he goes to put the coats in one of their spare bedrooms. Cassian is already heading for the kitchen, Jyn and Leia trailing after him, and Bodhi takes a moment to straighten out the collar of his shirt before slipping one arm around Luke’s waist and pulling him in for a quick kiss.

“Chirrut’s nice.. weird, but nice. Don’t worry.” Bodhi smiles, kissing Luke’s forehead because the poor kid still looks a little nervous, and Luke nods, opening his mouth—

“Where is my emo son and his cute boyfriend that I have _yet to meet!”_

Bodhi rolls his eyes towards the ceiling and presses another quick kiss to Luke’s forehead before dragging him towards the kitchen. “What did I tell you about calling me that?”

Chirrut is sitting at the island in the middle of the kitchen, a grin on his face as he looks towards Bodhi. “You said it was your favorite name ever, and I insisted I use it forever.”

Bodhi lets out a long suffering sigh as Luke snorts with amusement— he goes to Chirrut’s side regardless, kissing the older man on the cheek as he’s pulled in for a tight hug. “Love you too, Chirrut.”

“You better. I’m the cool dad.” Chirrut smirks, firmly ignoring Baze’s call of ‘No, _I’m_ the cool dad!’ from the other room. “Where are your manners? Introduce me to our guests!”

Bodhi snorts softly, gesturing towards Leia, beckoning her forward— she steps up beside Bodhi with a smile, the corners of her dark eyes crinkled with amusement. “Chirrut, this is Leia Skywalker.. Leia, this is Chirrut, the venue owner who somehow seems to think he’s adopted me without any _paperwork.”_

“Hey, show your father some _respect_.” Chirrut smirks, shoving at Bodhi before reaching out his hand— Leia takes it with a smile, looking directly at his face, which immediately earns points from Bodhi, because usually people are too _uncomfortable_ to do that. Chirrut folds his other hand over her much smaller one, clasping it firmly. “Welcome to our home, Leia! Please excuse my children, they take after my husband, no manners at all..”

Leia fights back a grin as she squeezes Chirrut’s hand, her eyes dancing. “Thank you so much for having my brother and I over for dinner, Chirrut.. we’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Have you?” Chirrut grins slyly, releasing Leia’s hand. “ _Brother_ , you say? And just where is this mysterious _Luke_ I have heard much about, but have yet to meet, because my emo son is _cruel_..”

Leia grins brightly, positively _charmed_ by Chirrut, and Bodhi groans softly as he rolls his eyes. “For fuck’s _sake_ — here.” he drags Luke forward, and Luke bites his lip, because he’s trying not to laugh, that little punk. “Chirrut, this is Luke Skywalker, my boyfriend.. Luke, this is Chirrut, pay attention to nothing he says because he’s _going senile.”_

Chirrut grins as he reaches out, and Luke catches his hand in a warm grip, laughing brightly as he too looks directly at him. “It’s so nice to finally meet you, Chirrut.. I’m afraid I’ve never gotten to see you at Kyber.”

“Oh, don’t worry, I haven’t gotten to see you either.” Chirrut smirks, and Bodhi drops his face into his palm with a groan as Jyn damn near cackles— fucking Chirrut and his _blind jokes—_

“Ignore him, he likes to _think_ he’s funny.” Baze says as he comes into the kitchen, heading directly to the stove, where several steamers are currently going. Chirrut swivels his head around, scowling.

“I _am_ funny!” Chirrut insists before turning his head around again, patting Luke’s hand. “Ignore my husband, he has no sense of humor.”

“I had one until I married _you_..” Baze mutters, and that sets Luke, Leia and Jyn laughing— Bodhi shakes his head, hiding a grin, and presses a kiss to Luke’s temple, because as much as he hates to it admit, Chirrut and Baze? Relationship goals, in his opinion. 

Chirrut ignores his husband and smiles brightly, gesturing behind himself, towards the stove. “I hope you’re all hungry.. I made roast duck!”

“ _I_ made the duck.”

Chirrut continues to smile, ignoring his husband once again, and nods. “It’s my _secret family recipe_ , too.”

Baze’s long-suffering sigh sets everyone to laughing once again, and Bodhi is _very_ glad he decided to stay in the city for Thanksgiving this year.

 

————

 

Baze and Chirrut went all out with dinner, and it’s one of the best Bodhi can remember— roast duck, a mountain of bao, some kind of fish braised in a spicy sauce that Cassian and Leia absolutely _love_ , sweet and savory rice cakes, and an assortment of vegetables and other little side dishes. Bodhi doesn’t know how they do it, because everything tastes _amazing._

“So, what are the two of you going to university for?” Chirrut asks, smiling as everyone passes food around. Leia answer first, smiling as she takes the bowl of rice Baze hands her.

“Fashion.. I’d like to design my own clothing line, some day. I’m doing business management on the side, as well.” Leia passes the bowl to Jyn, and Chirrut grins, looking impressed.

“Fashion? If you ever need a model, _please_ , feel free to call me..” he offers, and Leia laughs, while Baze rolls his eyes. Chirrut turns his head curiously, arching one eyebrow. “And what about you, young Luke? Something profitable, I hope, someone has to support my lazy emo son..”

Bodhi rolls his eyes and aggressively stabs a piece of duck on one of his chopsticks as Luke snorts, trying not to laugh. “Jesus, Chirrut, you gonna offer a dowry next?..”

“If his answer pleases me, maybe.” Chirrut smirks, taking a sip of his tea, and Luke does laugh this time.

“I’m studying music.. I’d like to do it professionally, or be a producer, at least.” Luke answers, helping himself to a few rice cakes as Cassian passes them across the table. Chirrut’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

“Music? So many talented young people at my table, how _delightful_.. what do you play?” Chirrut asks, and Luke smiles brightly.

“Piano, mostly.. little bit of guitar.” Luke answers, and Bodhi snorts softly as he takes a bite of steaming hot bao.

“ _And_ he sings. Like an angel.” Bodhi hisses around a very hot mouthful of food, and Luke rolls his eyes slightly, while Leia smirks.

“ _Really?_ Well, you must indulge an old man and sing for us later.. I know my good son Bodhi must have brought his guitar, or my husband would have sent him back to get it.” Chirrut grins, sipping his tea again as Baze snorts and looks amused. Luke flushes just a little bit, in that bashful way that Bodhi finds absolutely _adorable._

“Oh, um.. sure. I’d be happy to.” Luke smiles again, and then turns his attention to his food, muttering a soft _‘I don’t know what this is but it’s amazing’_ to Bodhi under his breath as he takes a bite of his own bao, sucking in a sharp breath as it burns his mouth. Bodhi grins and resists the urge to kiss his boyfriend at the dinner table, because _manners_ , and lets himself get drawn into conversation with Cassian and Baze about the new sound panel Baze wants to install instead.

 

————

 

After dinner, there’s wine and dessert, which consists of egg tarts, red bean buns, and Baze’s special almond cake that he _rarely_ makes unless someone begs him. Bodhi has to forcibly drag Luke and Jyn away from it, before they eat the whole damn thing themselves. 

“I demand entertainment!” Chirrut calls, sitting on Baze’s lap in their favorite chair, as is tradition. Jyn is sitting on the floor with Leia, sharing a red bean bun as they look at one of Baze’s books— a book about cute frogs, of all things —while Cassian is sitting on the couch with Luke, peering over the girls’ shoulders with amusement. Bodhi rolls his eyes, shoving the rest of his tart in his mouth, and goes to fetch his acoustic guitar obediently.

“Taking requests, I guess..” Bodhi snorts softly as he takes his guitar out of the case and slings it on, tuning it a little as he wanders back into the living room, starting to warm his voice up with a few quick scales. Luke grins at him with absolute delight, but Leia speaks up first, arching one perfect eyebrow as she smiles at Bodhi.

“Do you know _To Be With You_?” she asks, eyes sparkling with mirth— Bodhi rolls his eyes as Chirrut cheers, because _of course_ she picks one of his favorites.

“Not pulling any punches tonight, are we..” Bodhi mutters, shaking his head with a smile before glancing at Cassian. “Back me up?”

“I’ll do it!” Luke offers eagerly before Cassian can reply, his eyes lighting up— Cassian smirks and shrugs, settling back against the couch and folding his arms behind his head.

“Knock yourself out.” Cassian grins, eyes dancing playfully, and Bodhi ducks his head to hide a grin as he strums a few chords, before he glances at Luke. 

“Ready?” he asks, and Luke grins, pushing himself to the edge of the couch as he nods. 

“Lay it on me, Mr. Big.” Luke smirks, earning an amused snort from Baze, and Bodhi rolls his eyes as he launches into the song smoothly, because he’s played it way more times than he cares to admit— Luke’s voice joins his, bright and golden, and Bodhi lets him take over the main vocals since his pitch is higher, unable to stop smiling as he plays and backs him up. Everyone else starts to clap along, Cassian’s voice joining in to back Bodhi’s, and yeah, Bodhi’s _really_ glad he stayed here for the holiday. Luke's cheeks are a little pink as they sing back and forth to each other, and Bodhi wishes he wasn't busy playing so he could _kiss_ him.

Chirrut looks surprised and incredibly pleased as he listens to Luke, and Bodhi feels just a little bit of pride, because Luke is _absolutely amazing_ , and he wants everyone to know it. 

 

————

 

Bodhi spends the next hour taking requests, usually joined by Luke for the vocals, which is more than fine with him. He lets Jyn take his guitar so she can play _Don’t Speak_ with Leia, who also has a surprisingly nice voice. Must run in the family. He goes to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water while Jyn plays _Island In the Sun_ next, while Cassian sings —and Bodhi nearly jumps out of his skin when he hears his voice right behind him.

“You love him very much.”

Bodhi whirls around, feeling the back of his neck get hot, because of _course_ Chirrut knows. He bites his lip, quiet for a moment, before he answers. “I do.. more than anything. I don’t deserve him, but I’m keeping him anyway.”

Chirrut smiles, warm and knowing, and reaches out— Bodhi takes his hand, and lets the older man draw him into a tight hug.

“You _deserve_ every happiness, Bodhi.. “ Chirrut says, voice low against his ear, and Bodhi closes his eyes, not feeling any tightness in his chest for once when he thinks about how much he adores Luke. 

“Thank you, Chirrut..” Bodhi swallows, his throat feeling a little tight as Chirrut squeezes him again. The older man is smiling when he draws away, hands gripping Bodhi’s shoulders firmly as he nods.

“I like him. You may tell Luke I’ll let you go for three pigs, a cow, and the promise you shall name your first born after me.”

Bodhi laughs, sudden and loud and with absolute fondness, because Chirrut is the father he always wishes he’d had, and pulls him in for another hug.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Found family holidays. ;-;
> 
> I have started ANOTHER AU fic, god help me, so updates will probably be a little more spaced out from now on as I try to juggle them both. Apologies. <3


	20. Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You always promised me that I'd be okay, someday.

 

It finally snows the second week of December.

Bodhi reaches out to slap his alarm off automatically when it goes off, not bothering to open his eyes— Luke groans softly, tightening his grip around Bodhi’s waist and shoving his face into his tangled hair.

“Quit your job, it sucks..” Luke mumbles sleepily, and Bodhi snorts as he grinds the heels of his palms against his eyes, trying to rub the sleep out of them. 

“Who else will keep you swimming in hot cocoa and strawberry scones, then?..” Bodhi yawns, not wanting to move, but forcing himself up on one elbow. Luke clings to him with a stubborn sound, trying to pull him down again.

“It’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make..” Luke grunts, and Bodhi chuckles a little as he rakes his hair out of his face— he glances towards the window when he notices it’s not as sunny out today, and blinks, surprised—

“Hey, sunshine..” Bodhi down, grinning as he nuzzles and kisses softly at Luke’s jaw. Luke hums softly with pleasure, tilting his head back, and Bodhi smirks as he kisses the spot just below his ear, whispering, “.. it’s _snowing_.”

Bodhi rears back as Luke jerks himself upright, crystal eyes wide as he turns to stare at the window— he looks like a little kid all of a sudden, and Bodhi can’t help but laugh at the pure wonder on his boyfriend’s stupidly cute face.

“ _Oh my god_ , it’s so white..” Luke whispers, fascinated, and Bodhi grins as he leans in to kiss his shoulder, utterly charmed by the look on his Luke’s face.

“The sooner we shower, the sooner I’ll take you out to play..” Bodhi teases— Luke is out of the bed so fast that Bodhi nearly falls over, laughing again as he watches Luke scramble around for a towel, his voice impatient and excited as he looks at Bodhi.

“Well _come on_ , don’t just sit there!..”

Bodhi wonders how long Luke’s excitement will last once he realizes how _cold_ snow is.

 

————

 

Everything is dusted with fine white powder when they make it outside— it makes the city look a little cleaner, for the moment, until the trucks comes out and ruin it with salt and sludge.

Luke can’t stop grinning as he tilts his face up towards the sky, and Bodhi watches as snowflakes catch on his long lashes, settle on his golden hair— when Luke turns to smile at him, his cheeks are already pink, and the winter whiteness makes his eyes even _more_ impossibly blue than normal. Bodhi feels his breath catch for a moment, because Luke’s _beautiful_ , and the reminder almost pains him.

“Winter suits you..” Bodhi mutters, reaching out to pull Luke in for a slow, deep kiss— Luke hums pleasantly into his mouth, fisting his gloved hands in the front of Bodhi’s peacoat.

“It’s pretty.. I just wish it wasn’t so _cold_..” Luke shivers as their lips part, wrinkling his nose, and Bodhi smirks.

“There isn’t even much _windchill_ today..” Bodhi muses, but Luke is too busy turning around and scraping snow off the top of the railing leading up the apartment steps, packing it together in his hands. He turns, eyes suddenly _very_ mischievous, and Bodhi takes a step back, giving his boyfriend a _look—_

“Don’t you _fucking dare_ —“ is all Bodhi manages to get out before Luke chucks the snow right into his face, and oh, that little shit is _fucking dead_. Luke must know his death is imminent, because he’s already running down the sidewalk, laughing brightly as he slips a bit on the slick pavement.

“You’re fucking _dead_ , Skywalker!” Bodhi calls after him, scooping snow off anything he can reach as he runs after Luke, packing it together into a huge snowball. Luke laughs again, but then he slips and Bodhi manages to catch up to him, snagging him around the waist with one arm so he can smash the snowball right on top of Luke’s _stupid head._

“ _Jesus fuck_ , that’s cold!” Luke yelps, struggling to get away, but Bodhi hold him tighter, grinning as he tries to shove some of the snow under Luke’s jacket— “Oh my god _stop_ , I’m sorry, shit! Coldcoldcold!”

Bodhi starts laughing as Luke curses and squirms, and spins his boyfriend around so he can kiss him— Luke’s lips are cold, chapped and taste like snowflakes, and Bodhi falls a little more in love with him yet again.

 

————

 

“ _Let’s get drunk you can drive us to the harbor, wish upon a star but do you know what stars are?.._ ”

Bodhi lifts his eyes from his tech homework, watching Luke as he starts to sing— they’re in _Red Five’s_ practice space at the warehouse, just the two of them, because Luke wanted to refine some new songs he’d been working on. Bodhi had agreed to come with more than readily when Luke asked him to come along and give his opinion.

“ _Balls of fire, burning up the black space, falling from the landscape, exploding in the face of God.._ ”

Bodhi flicks his eyes down to Luke’s hands, watching as they slide over the keys of his piano with precision, admiring the way his long fingers flex, remembering how they feel when they’re playing over his _body_ — Bodhi swallows hard and bites his lip, quickly tearing his eyes away, because now is _not_ the time.

The song is great, in Bodhi’s opinion— Luke has talent in _spades_ , from lyrics to writing music to playing and singing. It almost makes him a little jealous, honestly. He lets himself get distracted, watching Luke’s hands again as he continues to play, and starts to push himself up from the floor—

Luke’s voice falters as Bodhi leans over him from behind, bracing his hands against the top of the piano as he kisses the side of Luke’s neck, nuzzling against him. Bodhi continues to kiss at Luke’s neck, nipping very gently at his skin, and Luke stops playing abruptly as he lets lets out a breathy little moan.

“ _Bodhi_.. I’m trying to practice..” Luke complains, though he doesn’t sound _that_ upset about it— Bodhi smiles and kisses Luke’s ear after nuzzling his hair out of the way.

“Sorry.. I like the song. A lot.” Bodhi hums against Luke’s ear, kissing it again, and Luke swings around to face him, drawing him in for a lingering kiss.

“I wasn’t sure about the lyrics..” Luke sighs, smiling as he rubs his cheek against Bodhi’s beard, enjoying the scratch of it, like some kind of overgrown cat.

“They’re good.. you’ve got an ear for catchy pop, moreso than I do, that’s for sure.” Bodhi smirks, finally drawing away. Luke grins up at him, looking both pleased and a little bashful, and Bodhi can’t help himself as he runs his fingers through Luke’s soft, tousled hair.

“What are you doing for Christmas?” Bodhi asks suddenly, and Luke blinks, caught off guard, before he shrugs.

“My parents asked us if we’d like to come home.. I think Leia is going, but I’m not sure. I’m still kind of enjoying the freedom.. and the snow.” Luke grins, and Bodhi smirks again, biting his lip, because now was as good a time as any to ask, even though the phone call with his mother the other day had made him _nervous as fuck—_

“Would you.. would you like to come with me, for winter break? To Jedha.” Bodhi asks quickly, trying not to let his nerves show— “I mean, you don’t have to, if you’d rather see your family, I understand..”

Luke surges up to kiss Bodhi, suddenly, and he nearly stumbles back— when their lips part, Luke is smiling brighter than starlight, his eyes damn near shining. “You want me to meet your _family?”_

Bodhi feels the back of his neck getting warm, and he swallows hard before leaning in to press a soft kiss to Luke’s forehead. “Well.. yeah..” he mutters, and he feels even warmer as he meets Luke’s bright eyes, he doesn’t understand how they can be so _bright_ all the time— “I love you, you know.”

Luke smiles, soft and sweet, with a touch of awe, like he can’t believe that Bodhi loves him, which Bodhi finds _ridiculous_ — “I love you, too.. and I’d love to come with you to Jedha. You sure it’s okay with your mom?”

Bodhi goes absolutely red as he remembers the phone call with his mother from the other day— _“You have a boyfriend?! Why do you never tell me these things, Bodhi! Now I have to knit a sweater on such short notice.. Does he like lamb? You are inviting him for dinner, yes?”_ —and clears his throat a little bit.

“Um.. yeah.. yeah, she’s _totally_ fine with it. Don’t worry.”

Luke arches an eyebrow, somewhat amused by the look on Bodhi’s face, before his blue eyes suddenly go wide with panic.

“Oh, no.. I have to get her a _present_. If my mom finds out I didn’t, she’s gonna _kill me_ for being a terrible guest.”

Bodhi snorts loudly, and thinks that Luke and his mother are going to get along just fine.

 

————

 

Bodhi feels like he should be more _nervous_ about taking Luke home to meet his family, but Luke is so damn excited about it, it’s hard to be anything other than slightly amused, honestly.

“You’re taking him home with you?” Wedge asks, grinning just a bit— Bodhi’s walking with him to the guitar shop, trailing behind Luke and Lando, who are talking animatedly about something up ahead. “You _know_ your mom is gonna wanna keep him, right?”

Bodhi snorts softly, and watches his breath float away in a frozen cloud. “Trust me, I _know_.. she’s already badgering me about what size clothes he wears and what _colors_ look nice on him..” Bodhi rolls his eyes, because honestly, his mother needs a _new hobby—_

“ _Blue_ , obviously.” Wedge laughs, slinging one arm around his shoulders. “Man, he’s lucky, it took me a year to get one of Fariha’s prized sweaters.. that thing is _still_ comfy as shit.” 

Bodhi smirks a bit, shaking his head as he remembers the _awful_ orange and green striped sweater his mother had knit for Wedge when he came over for Christmas one time— Wedge had proceeded to hit on his mother relentlessly for the rest of winter break, much to her flustered delight. Jyn and Cassian had found the whole ordeal hilarious, while Bodhi had vowed he would _never_ invite Wedge near his family again.

“It’s probably the least offensive item of clothing you own..” Bodhi smirks, and Wedge scoffs as he shoves him a bit.

“Hey, your _boyfriend_ thinks I have impeccable taste, thank you.” Wedge retorts, arching one eyebrow, and Bodhi rolls his eyes skywards.

“Not everyone can be _completely_ perfect, I suppose..” Bodhi muses, and now Wedge is smirking as he rolls his eyes— Bodhi turns his attention back ahead of them as he hears Luke laughing, and he knows his eyes are going stupid and soft as he looks at the way the harsh winter sunlight glints of Luke’s tousled hair, but he can’t _help_ it—

“You’re happy.” Wedge says, suddenly, and Bodhi gives him a sideways look— Wedge is smiling at him, a _real_ smile, and his eyes are warm in a way that makes something in Bodhi’s chest tighten for a quick second. He turns his eyes back towards Luke, watching him laugh as Lando drags him into a playfully headlock, and feels warmth unfurl in his chest.

“You always promised me that I’d be okay, someday.” Bodhi says quietly, feeling a fond smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I think.. I think I might be okay, now.”

Wedge hooks his arm around Bodhi’s neck and drags him closer so he can plant a kiss on his temple. “That’s all I _ever_ wanted for you, y’know.. Luke’s a good kid. You two deserve each other.”

Wedge is still smiling as Bodhi turns his face to look at his friend— one of his best friends, if he’s being honest, Wedge has _always_ been there for him, even when he was _super fucked up_ —and he smiles in return, lifting one arm to hug Wedge around the neck tightly. “You’re a good man, Wedge Antilles.. “

Wedge ducks his head, his smile turning into a smirk as he shrugs one shoulder. “Yeah, well, don’t tell anyone.. I’ve got a reputation to uphold.”

Bodhi grins as he releases him, and Wedge turns his eyes back towards Lando and Luke as he sweeps a handful of snow off a garbage can they pass, starting to pack it together. “Hey, you think I can belt Skywalker from back here?”

Bodhi smirks and makes a thoughtful sound, eyeing the distance. “I’ll buy you a new slide if you can.”

Wedge grins wickedly, and Bodhi can’t help the hysterical burst of laughter that escapes his mouth when the snowball explodes into white powder against the back of Luke’s head— he should’ve been recording it on his phone, because Luke’s yelp of dismay? _Adorable._

“Mother _fucker_!.. Wedge, I’m gonna kick your _ass!_.. fuck you, Bodhi, stop laughing, who’s side are you _on?!”_

 

————

 

Bodhi has absolutely no idea what to get Luke for Christmas, and Jyn is _zero_ help. 

“Wrap yourself up in a bow? _Just_ the bow.” is her latest helpful suggestion, and Bodhi glares down at her as they continue to wander through the streets of Chinatown. He doesn’t know why he let Jyn talk him into going to Chinatown when it was snowing, but alas, here he was.

“You are literally the _worst_ friend I’ve ever had.” Bodhi informs her, and Jyn makes a thoughtful sound, ignoring him as she peers into the different shop windows.

“Double-ended dildo?” is her next suggestion, and Bodhi debates shoving her into the nearest lamp post. _Why?_ Why, of all people, was he stuck with _Jyn Erso_ as his best friend? Who the fuck did he piss off _this much?_

“Why are we here, again?” Bodhi sighs, blinking snowflakes off his lashes and squinting as the wind picks up a bit. Fuck, it was cold out today.

“I’m looking for a book for my father.. Baze said there was a shop here that should have it.” Jyn hums, still peering around at all the shops. “Plus, I promised I’d buy you dim-sum.” 

“ _All I can eat_ dim-sum.” Bodhi reminds her, because she is _not_ getting out of that part of the deal. Jyn waves one hand dismissively, rolling her eyes.

“Yeah, whatever.. I’m not carrying you home if you eat too many dumplings again, though.” she snorts, and now Bodhi is rolling his eyes as he tucks his scarf up over his mouth.

“I could be home right now, having _gloriously warm_ and not _freezing cold_ sex with my boyfriend, you know..” Bodhi mumbles, wishing he was, in all honesty— Jyn ignores him and lets out a triumphant cry as she finally finds the damn bookstore.

“Here we go! Come on, I’ll let you stuff your face all you want, after..” Jyn ushers him inside, and Bodhi sighs as he follows, because at least it will be warm inside.

 

————

 

While Jyn is trying to haggle with the bookstore owner over the price of the book she wants, Bodhi stumbles across something he _wasn’t_ expecting to find in the small, dingy store.

It’s a book of blank sheet music, obviously drawn and aged by hand, bound in dark red leather. Bodhi feels his heart skip a beat as he flips through the pages, feeling the velvety texture of the paper, and he can just picture Luke’s music flowing across them.

It ends up being a little pricey, but Bodhi figures it’ll be worth it, since it’s _perfect._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MEETIN' THE FAM IS COMING SOON! Oh, boy, I can't wait for this..
> 
> [squeezes Wedge's cheeks] You are my best boy, and I'm sorry I'm so mean to you in my other fics.
> 
> Again, updates are gonna be a little slower from now on, so bear with me. <3


	21. The Lights and Buzz

 

 

Bodhi _somehow_ manages to scrape through his exams with higher than average marks, and sends a small prayer to whatever deity decided to take pity on him this year.

Winter break arrives all too quickly after that, and before Bodhi knows it, he’s packing clothes into his duffel bag for the trip back to Jedha. To see his family. With _Luke_.

Oh, _fuck_ , this was going to be a disaster.

 

————

 

Jyn’s father is actually home for Christmas this year, which means she’s going back to Jedha as well, and taking Cassian with her. They decide to take the train in, because Galen says it’s no trouble to pick them all up— Bodhi’s mom only lives two houses down from him, after all.

Jyn is still packing even though they need to leave soon, and Bodhi scowls as he helps her zip shut her overly full rolling suitcase. “Do you seriously need this much shit? We’ll be gone for a _week_..”

“Papa said he wanted to take Cassian and I out for a nice dinner, I need to have _options_..” Jyn stresses, like Bodhi is a moron for not understanding— Bodhi rolls his eyes and pulls his phone out, wondering where Luke is, and if maybe he should call him—

Someone pounds on the door, and when Kay goes to open it, Luke is standing there with his messenger bag and backpack, looking slightly frazzled and a little damp from melting snow. “Sorry! I went with Leia to the airport, it took longer than I thought to get back..”

“ _Always_ add an extra thirty to forty minutes to your schedule when traveling from the city to O’hare.” Kay prompts Luke, arching one eyebrow as he steps aside to let him in.

“Yeah, no shit..” Luke mutters, stepping inside and dropping his bags on the couch. Kay rolls his eyes and kicks the door shut before returning to his room to finish his own packing— he has his own train to catch a little later than the rest of them, since his father insisted that he come home.

Bodhi smirks, starting to move towards his boyfriend, but Jyn whines as she hops on top of her other suitcase in order to actually get it closed. “Bodhi, zip it, before it fucking _explodes_!”

Bodhi rolls his eyes but does as ordered, having to put a little muscle into it as he struggles to zip the damn thing up for his best friend. “Why the _hell_ isn’t Cassian doing this for you?”

“Because Cassian was finishing his own packing.” Cassian smirks as he strolls out of his room, carrying a very neatly arranged little suitcase and setting it on the floor near the door. “Oh, hey, Luke.”

Luke, who has been watching Bodhi’s struggle with _great_ amusement, turns and smiles at Cassian, returning the friendly kiss Cassian presses to his cheek. “Hey, Cass. You guys almost ready?” Luke sounds excited, rocking back on his heels as he grins, and Cassian chuckles as he goes to relieve poor Bodhi of suitcase duty.

“Just about.. “ Cassian starts muttering to himself in spanish as he takes over struggling with Jyn’s suitcase, and Bodhi snorts, picking up his duffel bag and going to drop it with Luke’s bags before pulling his boyfriend in for a sweet kiss.

“ _You_ seem excited..” Bodhi smiles, arching one eyebrow as Luke grins, practically radiating enthusiasm in a way that would leave Bodhi absolutely exhausted.

“Of course I am! Aren’t you?” Luke leans in to kiss him again, and Bodhi hums softly against his lips— he would say he’s more slightly _terrified_ and attempting to hide it, but excited works too, he supposes.

“Yeah, of course..” Bodhi smiles, nuzzling against his cheek— behind him, Cassian finally gets Jyn’s suitcase shut, and rolls his eyes as he straightens out.

“Jesus christ..." Cassian mutters, shaking his head— Jyn leans up to kiss his cheek with a bright smile before turning to Luke and Bodhi.

“Ready!”

Bodhi snorts and goes to grab his jacket as Luke bites back a snicker, because now Cassian is going to have to drag that monstrosity of a suitcase all the way to the _train_ station. What a saint.

 

————

 

 

The train ride to Jedha is about forty minutes long— Bodhi shares his earbuds with Luke so they can listen to _Save The World Lose The Girl_ , and Luke plasters himself up against the window, watching the bright white scenery fly by with fascination. Across the aisle, Jyn is watching Luke like he’s the most _adorable_ thing she’s ever seen, and Bodhi is inclined to agree.

Bodhi reaches over to take one of Luke’s hands, and Luke turns his head to smile at him sweetly as he laces their fingers together and squeezes.

Bodhi lets out a deep breath, because everything is going to be _fine_.

 

————

 

It's totally not going to be fine. Bodhi’s heart is pounding like a damn _jackhammer_ when Galen drops him and Luke off in front of his mother’s house.

“I’ll text you about dinner, if you guys have some free time.. have a good Christmas!” Jyn calls out the window, echoed by Cassian and her father— Bodhi gives an absent wave as they drive away, still staring at the house. This was a terrible idea.

“Cute house.” Luke is smiling, eyes bright as he takes in the quaint little two-story with perfectly trimmed evergreen hedges, twinkling with bright white, tastefully arranged Christmas lights. Bodhi nods, shifting his duffel bag on his shoulder but not moving, and Luke turns to him, arching one eyebrow.

“Hey… you okay?” Luke asks, voice quiet, and Bodhi blinks before turning his head to look at his boyfriend— Luke gives him a soft, reassuring smile, reaching out to take his hand, and Bodhi sucks in a deep breath as he squeezes his fingers tightly, because _Luke_ is here, and that means he's going to be _fine_ , even if his anxiety is trying to convince him otherwise.

“Yeah.. yeah, I’m good.” Bodhi leans over to kiss Luke on the lips gently, tasting snow and winter sunshine, and smiles a bit. “Brace yourself, I guess.”

Luke grins and shifts his own bags around as Bodhi leads him up the walkway and the front steps, holding his hand tightly, not about to let go for anything.

 

————

 

As soon as Bodhi opens the door and steps inside, he’s hit with the familiar scent of warm spices, clean laundry, and gardenias. It’s surprising how much it calms him.

“Mom?” Bodhi calls out, dumping his bag on the floor in the foyer and motioning for Luke to do the same. He can suddenly hear rapid, entirely unsubtle voices coming from the kitchen— _“They’re here! What was his boyfriend’s name again?” — “I don’t remember, I only just found out he had one! Does my hair look okay?”_ —and Bodhi braces himself, because apparently his _sister_ is here already, too.

Luke is looking around curiously, and Bodhi doesn’t have time to warn him before both his mother and sister rush out of the kitchen in a flurry of gardenia scented perfume. “Bodhi! My sweet little boy, look at you!”

Bodhi grunts as his mother pulls him into a tight hug before he can even say anything, bending over slightly to accommodate her. “Hello, mum..” he smiles, pressing a kiss to her temple as he hugs her back tightly. His sister pushes in for a hug next, kissing Bodhi’s cheek happily as she smiles.

“Well, look at you.. your beard is finally all grown in, you don’t look like a dumb teenager anymore.” Satiya smirks, and Bodhi gives her a very unamused look as he straightens out.

“Thanks, Sati.. love you, too.” Bodhi drawls, shaking his head— he hears a soft snort from behind and turns, arching one eyebrow. Luke is biting back a grin, his bright eyes dancing with amusement, and Bodhi grabs his arm, startling Luke as he drags him right into the pack of she-wolves, because he sure as _hell_ isn’t doing this alone—

“Mom, Sati.. this is Luke Skywalker, my boyfriend.” Bodhi introduces, feeling the back of his neck flush a bit as his mother practically _coos_ with delight— “Luke, this is my mother, Fariha, and my little sister, Satiya.”

“It’s— it’s very nice to meet you both, and thank you _so_ much for having me, Mrs. Rook.” Luke stammers slightly, smiling bright and warm despite the redness rising on his cheeks, somehow managing to radiate charm without even _trying_.

Bodhi can tell that his mother and sister are _immediately_ taken by Luke’s boyish charm, and he isn’t entirely surprised.

“Oh, goodness, _please_ call me Fariha, darling..” Bodhi’s mother clucks, smiling warmly as she reaches out to draw Luke into a hug, kissing both of his cheeks— Luke looks slightly startled, but returns the gesture easily enough.

Satiya smiles and pulls Luke in for a hug next, eyeing him up and down when she releases him, muttering under her breath, “How the _hell_ did you manage to score this guy?…”

Bodhi rolls his eyes as Luke blushes and looks ever so slightly offended on his behalf, which makes Bodhi's heart thump just a little.  “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Sati… love you too.”

Satiya smirks, crossing her arms over her chest. "Well, props on batting out of your league, I suppose... you have a brother, Luke? Older, younger, don't particularly _care_..."

Luke snorts loudly, covering his mouth with one hand as Bodhi rolls his eyes so hard it hurts- he opens his mouth to tell his sister to shove off, but his mother scowls, beating him to it, and flicking Satiya on the ear in reprimand. Bodhi smirks as his sister yelps, and arches an eyebrow innocently as she glares at him, like _he_ was the one who started it.

“Forgive me, Luke, I tried _so_ hard to teach them some manners…” Bodhi's mother apologizes, smiling as she takes Luke by the arm and starts to lead him away. “Are you hungry? Thirsty? Please, come in, make yourself at home…”

Luke looks at Bodhi over his shoulder, blue eyes wide and slightly panicked— Bodhi grins and doesn’t move to rescue him, because it’s nice to have his mother’s doting focused on someone _else_ for a change.

Satiya suddenly snickers softly from beside Bodhi, looking up at her brother with a sly smile. “Oh, god, mom is enchanted with him already… did you even _warn_ him about her?”

“ _Nope_.”

Satiya cackles, and Bodhi smirks as he throws an arm around her shoulders, dragging his sister into the kitchen so they can both watch the entertainment unfold. He's suddenly _very_ glad he decided to bring Luke home with him.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm sick, sorry for the short chapter.. but yay family!


	22. Homesick at Space Camp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don't I always behave?

 

Bodhi’s mother makes lamb korma for dinner, which she only _ever_ makes when he’s home, and it makes his heart ache just a little bit, because he loves his mother so very much.

Fariha is absolutely taken with Luke, not that Bodhi’s surprised— Luke is even more charming and boyish than usual, polite to a damn fault, and there is _nothing_ Bodhi’s mother appreciates more than good manners.

“You’re telling me that Bodhi used to be a _troublemaker_ in school?” Luke smirks just a bit, leaning forward on his elbows, tone absolutely teasing. “Oh, I don’t believe _that_ at all…”

Bodhi rolls his eyes, hovering near the stove and trying to sneak some korma, but his mother is just as fast with that damn spoon as when he was a kid. She snaps him across the knuckles, and Bodhi hisses, yanking his hand back as Fariha clucks her tongue.

“It’s not done, go sit down!” she commands, giving her son a look before looking over her shoulder at Luke with one perfectly arched eyebrow. “You see? _Still_ causing his poor mother trouble, after all I’ve done for him…”

Satiya snickers as Bodhi pouts just a bit and goes to drop down into the chair next to Luke, who is trying very hard not to laugh at his boyfriend, “ _Shame_ on you, Bodhi.. Fariha’s such a lovely woman, show your mother some respect!”

Bodhi’s mother laughs, sharp and delighted, and Bodhi wishes he could kiss that stupid teasing grin right off of Luke’s face.

 

————

 

“You are batting _way_ out of your league, brother dear…”

Bodhi slants his sister a look, arching one eyebrow as he carefully uses his fingertips to flip the roti he’s making in the pan— his mother always put him on roti duty, because unlike Satiya, he doesn't  _burn_ it. “Do you even _like_ me? You know we’re _related_ , right?”

“I like you well enough, I suppose,” Sati grins, rolling out another piece of dough quickly. “Really, though… I like him. He’s sweet. And _cute_. I’m pretty sure mum wants to keep him…”

Bodhi snorts, flipping the finished roti out of the pan before slapping another one down, “Mum wants to keep everyone, I’m surprised we don’t have at least ten more adopted siblings.”

Satiya snickers softly under her breath as she continues to roll out a few more balls of dough, shaking her head, “Now _that_ is the truth…”

Bodhi smirks as he twists the roti in the pan, burning his fingertips just a bit— his sister looks over at him, her dark eyes suddenly appraising as she studies him, and Bodhi feels the back of his neck flush as her face goes soft, because he _knows_ what she’s going to say—

“You’re happy,” Satiya says quietly, voice warm and slightly surprised, like she can’t believe it. Bodhi darts his eyes over to the table, where Luke is currently telling some story to his mother, who is laughing with delight as she clutches at Luke’s arm, hanging on his every word, so _utterly_ charmed.

Bodhi smiles, warmth unfurling in his chest as Luke looks over and catches his eyes for a moment, grinning bright and happy and looking almost like he belongs in Bodhi’s childhood home.

“I think this is the happiest I’ve ever been in my life.”

Satiya drops her rolling dowel, looking at her brother with utter surprise before she grins with delight and smacks him on the arm, “About _fucking_ time, you emo band reject!”

Bodhi grins as he ducks his head and flips the roti, then arches one eyebrow as he gives his sister a sideways look, curious, “So… how was Amsterdam?”

Satiya drops her dowel again, her face turning bright red as she looks anywhere but at her brother, and Bodhi laughs, because he cannot wait to _hear_ this shit.

 

————

 

Dinner is wonderful— Bodhi forgot how much he missed the taste of his mother’s cooking, and Luke almost groans when he tries it for the first time. His mother insists on both of them taking second helpings, because, _“You’re so skinny, why are you young boys always so skinny! What do you eat at school?!”_

Bodhi’s mother pulls him aside after dinner, while he’s helping clear the table with Luke— she pulls him down to press a kiss to his cheek, her warm eyes shining as she smiles and whispers, “Oh, Bodhi.. he’s _wonderful_. I’m so glad to see my boy so _happy_ again.”

Bodhi blushes, but presses a kiss to the crown of his mother’s head and hugs her around her slim shoulders, because _he’s_ pretty damn happy about it himself, too.

 

————

 

After dinner, Satiya goes to visit with some of her friends, and Bodhi’s mother retires to her room to read, leaving Bodhi and Luke alone for the first time in hours.

“Did I make a good impression?” Luke sounds a little anxious, his fingers fidgeting with the hem of Bodhi’s shirt— they’re curled up on the couch in the living room, Bodhi laying comfortably against the plush arm of the sofa while Luke lays in his lap, head resting against his chest. Bodhi snorts softly as he twists a lock of Luke’s hair around one of his fingers, a smile tugging at his lips.

“The best impression, honestly,” Bodhi assures him, liking the way the lights from the Christmas tree near the window are playing across Luke’s hair, making it shine. Luke lifts his head so he can meet Bodhi’s eyes, biting his lip, and Bodhi tilts his head down so he can press a kiss to his boyfriend’s forehead. “Seriously. They love you, Luke, don’t even worry about it…”

“Your mom is wonderful,” Luke smiles, looking relieved and starting to relax again. “I can definitely tell Satiya is _your_ sister, too…”

Bodhi snorts, because if Sati heard that it would drive her _crazy_ — he’s distracted from his thoughts as Luke suddenly pushes himself up to capture his lips in a kiss, and Bodhi hums with pleasure, because he hasn’t had the chance to kiss Luke in _hours_ , which might as well be _days_ —

Bodhi cups one hand against Luke’s jaw, angling his face a bit as he deepens the kiss, because he needs to _taste_ him— Luke makes soft sound of pleasure into his mouth, fists curling into his shirt, and Bodhi has to stop before he gets too carried away, because he _always_ wants Luke far too much for it be normal.

“Thank you… for coming with me,” Bodhi whispers against Luke’s lips, before nuzzling against his ear, his soft hair, breathing him in— Luke sighs as he rubs his cheek against Bodhi’s beard, and Bodhi can’t stand the way the lights from the tree catch in Luke’s eyes like a galaxy full of stars as he smiles.

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be, love.”

 

————

 

It’s strange, sleeping in his old room— Bodhi’s mom hasn’t really touched anything, and it’s still cluttered with CD’s, posters, and old, broken guitars and amps. It’s almost _too_ full of memories, jagged and broken around the edges, wanting to fray him again.

When Bodhi finally falls asleep, he starts to slip into a nightmare, which shouldn’t surprise him, being home like this _always_ triggers them— but before it can get too deep, Luke nuzzles into him, wrapping him up in his arms tightly, his voice a warm, soothing whisper against Bodhi’s ear, “I’m right here, baby.. it’s just a dream, you’re okay.. I’m right here…”

Bodhi feels the darkness recede, back into the corners of his mind where it belongs, shying away from the brightness that Luke floods him with—he sighs, feeling warm, safe, and nuzzles his face into Luke’s neck as sleep starts to claim him once more.

 

————

 

Bodhi slits his eyes open when someone knocks on the door, and glances blearily at the clock on his nightstand— a little before eight. Far too early for Satiya, so it must be his mother.

He gently untangles himself from Luke’s grip, smiling a little as his boyfriend mumbles sleepily and rolls over, before carefully pushing himself out of the bed and padding over to the door. When he cracks it open, his mother is standing there, wearing her coat and smiling apologetically.

“Sorry to wake you, sweetheart… I got called in for an emergency consult. I’m not sure how long it will take,” she sighs, and Bodhi nods with a sympathetic smile, used to his mother coming and going at all hours. “Would you mind going to the store for me, later? There’s a list on the counter, and I left my card…”

Bodhi nods, cracking the door open a little wider so he can lean down and press a kiss to his mother’s forehead, “Yeah, sure… no problem.”

His mother smiles fondly before checking her watch and letting out a gusty sigh, “Have fun with Luke, hm? Show him around a little, maybe.. I should be home in time for dinner, so don’t worry about that. Have a good day, sweetheart.”

Bodhi nods, yawning a little as he watches his mother race down the stairs— he closes the door quietly before returning to the bed and slipping back underneath the blankets again, spooning himself around Luke’s warm back and nuzzling at his neck and shoulder. Luke hums sleepily, rolling over so he can tuck himself against Bodhi’s chest, right underneath his chin like he always does, because he can _never_ be close enough, apparently. Bodhi smiles, pressing a kiss to Luke’s tousled hair as he closes his eyes and wills himself back to sleep, listening to Luke’s soft, steady breathing as he rests his cheek against his hair.

They can get away with another hour or two in bed before running errands, he figures.

 

————

 

“You have a fucking _’98 Supra_ and you didn’t _tell me_?”

Two hours, a quick breakfast, and one shower that his sister interrupts later, Bodhi finds himself in the garage pulling the tarp off his car. He smirks at the absolute _shock_ in Luke’s voice, arching one eyebrow as he looks over his shoulder— oh, the _look_ on Luke’s face is one for the books. He wishes he had a camera right now.

“Oops?” Bodhi shrugs, absently sliding his fingers over the dark, metallic blue surface of the car. God, he missed this thing— he put _so_ much damn time and money into it, only to leave it behind when he went to college, because he wasn’t _insane_ enough to try paying for garaging a car in the city.

“You mentioned you raced, but… holy shit, Bodhi,” Luke sounds both impressed _and_ turned on as he walks around the car, eyes wide as he runs his fingers over the hood, caressing it almost sensually. Bodhi can’t really help himself as he pictures Luke spread out over the hood, moaning as Bodhi pumps into him— or maybe riding him, after Bodhi reclines the seat back as far as it will go, Luke’s hands clutching at the interior as he _whines_ —

Bodhi coughs sharply, shaking his head, because now is _not_ the time for his dick to start twitching with interest— he takes a deep breath, and unlocks the car instead. “C’mon, get in… if you behave while we shop, maybe I’ll take you for a spin on the back roads.”

Luke arches one eyebrow, looking excited at that prospect, and pulls the door open so he can climb in, “Don’t I _always_ behave?”

Bodhi gives him a _look_ before pulling his own door open and slipping into the driver’s seat, smiling as he settles in and glides one hand over the steering wheel— he starts the car up, and is pleased to see the tank is full. He really needs to buy his mom flowers, or something. He checks everything over, adjusting the seat a bit as Luke buckles in— he absently taps the sound system on, wondering what he’d left in last time he was home, and isn’t entirely surprised as _Your Favorite Weapon_ comes roaring out of the speakers with maybe a little too much bass turned up.

Luke snorts, looking over at him with fondness and a smirk playing on his lips, “ _God_ , you’re my favorite emo kid.”

Bodhi arches one eyebrow and revs the engine before shifting so he can pull out of the garage— he hopes that roads are clear, because he’s looking forward to making Luke clutch at the dashboard for _dear life_ if they are.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vroom, vroom.
> 
> Chapters are gonna come slower again, I've decided to rework a small bit of the plot I had planned and it's taking longer than expected.. apologies!

**Author's Note:**

> OH BOY, hi guys. So, this is my first serious foray into fanfic AND Star Wars, god help me, but I really wanted to write this. I'm so sorry. Soooo sorry. This whole thing will walk a fine line between crack and serious business. I have a vague idea of where I want this to go, but it's probably gonna be quite the trip getting there.
> 
> This fic now has a Spotify [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/user/attackedastoria/playlist/43ioMd87qsk0HhQmIBWqwQ) for your listening pleasure! Everything that inspires me or goes along with various chapters is here.
> 
> [Look at this BEAUTIFUL moodboard from barricadebakesale!](https://barricadebakesale.tumblr.com/post/157288363346/moodboard-for-attackedastorias-fic-i-was-kind-of)  
> [And here's another one from encanto! Ahhh!](http://encantno.tumblr.com/post/157298467389/i-was-kind-of-hoping-youd-stay-by)  
> I am so blessed by this amazing fandom. <3


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